Markets in Asia traded higher, picking up on a rebound in oil prices and a strong lead from the US and Europe.

The slight relief comes after days of heavy sell-offs earlier in the week.

Comments from European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi that more monetary easing was being considered also added to traders' confidence.

The region's largest market, Japan's Nikkei, rose 3.2% to 16,524.91 points after hitting at 15-month low the previous day.

Amid takeover reports, electronics company Sharp saw its shares rise another 7%.

Media reports that the struggling company had received takeover bids from Taiwan's Foxconn and state-backed Innovation Network had already sent the stock higher on Thursday.

Markets in China also managed to recover some of the past days' heavy losses.

The mainland benchmark Shanghai Composite gained 0.8% to 2,901.32 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 2.2% to 18,950.19 points.

Commodity shares profit

In Australia, the S&P ASX 200 rose by 1.1% to 4,917.40 points.

Among the market's standout performers were several of the big oil and commodity companies, buoyed by a rise in the oil price.

BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were 6.3% and 2% up respectively, while Santos climbed just under 10%.

Stocks of winemaker Treasury Wine Estates also stood out, jumping as much as 12.5% to a record high after the company provided strong full-year profits guidance in a market update.

In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi index followed the region's trend, gaining 1.8% to 1,873.11 points.

(BBC)