TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar steadied against major currencies on Friday as traders awaited key U.S. jobs data that may cast doubt on the strength of economic recovery from the coronavirus outbreak.

SINGAPORE/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Thursday, but held near multi-week lows hit overnight after U.S. data showed gasoline demand fell and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was lagging.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian equities started strong on Thursday as a sustained recovery in China’s services sector and the prospect of additional U.S. stimulus whetted risk appetite, while the dollar pared gains.

(Reuters) - Activity in Japan’s services sector contracted at a faster pace in August for the firs time in four months, as uncertainty from the coronavirus pandemic weighed on sentiment, hurting business at home and from abroad.

BEIJING (Reuters) - The recovery in China’s service sector activity extended into a fourth straight month in August, an industry survey showed on Thursday, with companies hiring more people for the first time since January.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The dollar clung to overnight gains on Thursday, as investors trimmed bets against the greenback and sold the euro on concerns that the European Central Bank was worried about its rise.