World shares edged higher on Friday ahead of the U.S. August payrolls report, while comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller reduced money-market expectations for a rate increase this month to 50% from 63% a day earlier. Treasury yields fell, led by shorter maturities, and the dollar weakened, helping the yen toward a weekly gain of nearly 2.5%. Forecasts call for 56,000 new jobs after a 23,000 decline the previous month, with unemployment expected to remain at 4.1%. European equities were broadly flat as higher oil and natural-gas prices supported expectations for another European Central Bank rate increase next Thursday. Longer-term bond investors remained concerned about inflation, government debt, geopolitical tensions and energy prices, while markets also looked ahead to U.S. inflation data next week.