Asian shares rose Monday, AP reported. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 2.3 percent to 19,885.73. Other Asian stock markets were also higher. South Korea's Kospi added nearly 0.8 percent to 2,257.73. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6 percent to 5,869.80. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.4 percent to 24,562.06, but the Shanghai Composite lost 0.9 percent to 3,074,55 on weaker than expected trade data for April. The euro was trading at $1.0969. It had edged up 0.1 percent to $1.1013 in late Sunday trading in Europe. The dollar rose to 112.73 yen from 112.59 yen late Friday in Asia. In energy trading, U.S. crude oil gained 58 cents to $46.80 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It had jumped 70 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $46.22 a barrel in New York late Friday. Brent crude, the standard for international oil prices, added 70 cents to $49.80 barrel in London.
