Stock market today: Asian benchmarks mostly rise in subdued trading on US jobs worries

Asian shares are mostly higher in cautious trading after Wall Street drifted to a quiet close on worries about a too-hot U.S. job market. Benchmarks rose Friday in Sydney, Seoul and Hong Kong but fell in Tokyo. Oil prices continued to decline. Wall Street drifted slightly lower. Stocks have struggled since the summer as U.S. Treasury yields have soared. In the U.S., fewer workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected, which could be a signal of upward pressure on inflation. A more impactful and comprehensive report on the job market is coming on Friday.