Asian shares mostly higher after US retail data

Asian markets mostly rose on Friday at the end of a painful week for global shares, as a strong report on US retail sales lifted spirits and Wall Street, while the dollar fought back against the yen's recent revival.

Oil prices continued to tumble after New York's main contract sank through the US$60-a-barrel mark in US trade for the first time in more than five years.

Tokyo rose 1.27 per cent on the back of the yen's retreat, while Seoul added 0.32 per cent, Shanghai edged up 0.12 per cent and Hong Kong was 0.24 per cent higher but Sydney eased 0.38 per cent.

Global markets have been buffeted by profit-taking this week, while Shanghai has swung wildly after racking up more than 20 per cent since the middle of November.