Asian stocks were mostly higher Wednesday, AP reported. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.3 percent to 3,289.19 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 1 percent to 29,076.26. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 declined 0.4 percent to 222,777.65. India's Sensex added 0.3 percent to 33,339.48 and Sydney's S&P-ASX 200 gained 0.1 percent to 6,021.80. Seoul's Kospi gained 0.5 percent to 2,472.66 and benchmarks in New Zealand, and Thailand also advanced. Singapore and Jakarta declined. The dollar declined to 113.45 yen from Tuesday's 113.54. The euro strengthened to $1.1749 from $1.1739. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 43 cents to $57.57 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 85 cents on Tuesday to $57.14. Brent crude, used to price international oils, advanced 62 cents to $63.96 in London. It plunged $1.35 the previous session.
