Asian shares and the dollar were higher on Thursday, but investors remained cautious as another shakeout on Wall Street and oil prices suggested volatility in financial markets will continue to temper risk appetite. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.7 percent. Japan’s Nikkei (.N225) added 0.5 percent after plunging 3.7 percent in the previous session to a 14-1/2 month closing low.