Asian markets were mixed Thursday, AP reported. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.5 percent to 25,347.71 while Japan's Nikkei 225 index tumbled 1.1 percent to 21,687.65. The Shanghai Composite index added 0.1 percent to 2,605.81. The Kospi in South Korea was 0.2 percent lower at 2,026.37. Australia's S&P-ASX 200 rose 0.2 percent to 5,840.80. Shares were higher in Singapore and Indonesia but fell in Thailand. Oil prices continued to weaken on news that U.S. crude stockpiles increased for the sixth straight week. Benchmark U.S. crude lost 40 cents to $64.91 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract dropped 87 cents to settle at $65.31 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, shed 47 cents to $74.57 per barrel. In the previous session, it dropped 91 cents to $75.04 a barrel. The dollar fell to 112.82 yen from 112.94 yen late Wednesday. The euro strengthened to $1.1345 from $1.1312.
