Asian shares were mostly higher on Thursday, AP reported. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added nearly 1.0% to 23,651.55 in afternoon trading. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.4% to 2,396.57. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.1% to 6,102.20. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.7% to 24,075.66. Trading was closed in Shanghai for a holiday. Shares rose in India but fell in Singapore. In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 6 cents to $40.01 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 14 cents to $42.13 a barrel. The U.S. dollar inched down to 105.96 Japanese yen from 105.98 yen late Wednesday. The euro cost $1.1764, up slightly from $1.1762.
