Asian stock markets edged broadly higher on Thursday and the Australian dollar jumped after a surprisingly strong reading on Chinese manufacturing bolstered hopes for recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy. Japan’s Nikkei added 0.2 percent while MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.3 percent. “Emerging markets continue to be main benefactor from the mix of low volatility, improving global growth and supportive central banks,” said analysts at Barclays in a note.