Stock markets mostly rose Friday after official data showed U.S. job losses eased somewhat in August, suggesting the world's largest economy is recovering, although sluggishly.

Germany's DAX was up 74.44 points, or 1.4 percent, at 5,375.86, while Britain's FTSE-100 rose 62.32 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,859.07. France's CAC-40 gained 40.35 points, or 1.1 percent, to 3,593.86.

Wall Street rose cautiously at the open, with the Dow Jones industrial average up 25.92 points , or 0.3 percent, at 9,370.53 and the Standard & Poor's 500 index up 3.46, or 0.3 percent, at 1006.70.

In Asia, markets earlier closed mostly higher.

U.S. employers eliminated a net total of 216,000 jobs in August, somewhat less than expectations for 225,000 and better than July's revised total of 276,000. The unemployment rate, however, jumped to 9.7 percent from 9.4 percent in July, the highest since June 1983. Analysts had been expecting the rate to edge up to 9.5 percent.

Markets initially welcomed the data, in part because some private reports, such as the ADP labor survey, had earlier this week suggested worse figures. But gains were limited as the steady loss of jobs indicates U.S. consumer spending — which accounts for 70 percent of the American economy and 20 percent of the world economy — will be stagnant for some time.

"While payroll declines are diminishing, new hiring remains weak and the unemployed are having trouble finding work," said Michael Clarey, chief economist for North America at Calyon. "Job market conditions remain weak and consequently consumer spending is cautious."

Meanwhile, markets were also eyeing the Group of 20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers in London for clues as to when economic stimulus measures will be lifted. Governments are expected to signal their commitment to boosting the global economy while acknowledging that recovery will be slow at best.

Despite nascent signs of recovery, fears remain that curtailing government spending and monetary stimulus too soon could result in a "double dip" recession.

"You're seeing the first signs of positive growth now in this country and countries around the world," said U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. "We've come a very long way, but I think we have to be realistic. We've got a long way to go still."

As the meeting gets under way, however, European countries are trying to focus the talks on a specific topic — limiting bankers' bonuses.

Sweden, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands said they would ask the G-20 summit to agree to ban bonuses guaranteed for more than a year. The U.S. has given such proposals a lukewarm response, and has instead pushed for higher capital requirements at banks.

Overall, governments are expected to acknowledge the first signs of economic recovery, but will be careful to not spook markets with suggestions that stimulus measures will be reversed soon.

In Asia, markets were mixed as investors were still waiting for the U.S. data when indexes closed. China's stock market edged higher by the afternoon after a jittery few weeks amid worries that the rally in global markets since March may have been overdone.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 2.8 percent to 20,318.62, and mainland China's Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.6 percent to 2,861.61 after surging 4.8 percent Thursday.

Japan and South Korean stocks slipped. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index declined 0.3 percent to 10,187.11, while the Kospi dipped 0.3 percent.

India's Senex was up nearly 2 percent, and Singapore's Straits Times index rose nearly 1 percent.

Oil prices fell, with benchmark oil for October delivery losing 51 cents to $67.45 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The dollar edged up to 92.85 yen from 92.56 yen late Thursday in New York. The euro fell to $1.4224 from $1.4254.

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Associated Press Writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.