Asia stocks bounce, upbeat U.S. data soothes nerves

Asian share markets crept cautiously higher early on Thursday after upbeat U.S. economic data took the sting out of losses in European equities and lifted Wall Street to a firmer finish. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.5 percent, having shed 1 percent on Wednesday when fears over European instability swept markets. The British pound huddled at $1.2918 in early trade, having slid almost 3 percent in the previous two sessions to carve out a 31-year trough of $