STOCKS NEWS ASIA-Rising U.S. dollar may lift exporters

SYDNEY, July 4 (Reuters) - Asian shares may open firmer on
Friday, with exporters such as Japan's Honda Motor Co likely to
gain as the yen weakened against the dollar.

The dollar rallied on Thursday after payroll data suggested
the U.S. job market and economy are not as dire as many
investors had feared.

Relief that the June payroll data was not as weak as some
had feared also buoyed the Dow Jones industrial average on
Thursday, a day after the blue-chip average entered a bear
market.

However, the Nasdaq composite index fell after graphics
chip maker Nvidia slashed its outlook, citing global market
weakness. That raised worries about the outlook for the
computer industry.

Worries about the economic impact of high oil prices are
likely to persist after crude oil rushed to a fresh record of
over $145 a barrel on Thursday, extending a rally that has
added 50 percent to prices this year.

Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.6 percent
overnight, while the MSCI's measure of Asia Pacific stocks
excluding Japan lost 2.1 percent on Thursday.

HEADLINES: Energy shares, tame jobs data lift Dow
U.S. extends job loss streak, more pain seen Dollar gains
broadly after job data, ECB remarks ECB raises rates, Trichet
open on future moves Oil hits record over $145, up 50
percent this Alabama offers 30-day window in Medicaid drug HMO
shrs fall as Aetna, UnitedHealth downgraded BHP gets partial
U.S. antitrust OK for Rio bid Falling shares, Ambani feud
could scupper MTN Lone Star could make block sale of KEB shares
-Ping An dives 8 pct despite denying tax audit Sanyo to build
new lithium-ion battery

TOP ASIA EVENTS:

For more Asian company earnings, see

JAPAN - Lawson Inc Q1 earnings

May preliminary leading indicator index

SEOUL - Economic policy coordination meeting

TAIPEI - June forex reserves data
(Reporting by Geraldine Chua; Editing by Kim Coghill)