Asian shares were mixed on Monday, AP reported. Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.4 percent to 20,386.32 as the yen's renewed strength made the country's stocks more attractive to foreign investors. But South Korea's Kospi lost 0.5 percent to 2,377.41, Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1 percent to 27,590.07 and the Shanghai Composite in mainland China fell 0.4 percent to 3,340.54. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.1 percent to 5,688.60. Taiwan's benchmark fell and Southeast Asian indexes were mostly lower. The dollar strengthened to 112.27 from 111.99 yen on Friday. The euro weakened to $1.1935 from $1.1947. Oil futures started the week lower. Benchmark U.S. crude lost 14 cents to $50.52 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 11 cents, or 0.2 percent, to settle at $50.66 a barrel on Friday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, slipped 8 cents to $56.34 a barrel in London.
