BANGKOK (AP) — Japan’s stock market dived Monday afterthe yen reversed some of its recent fall
against the U.S. dollar. Stockselsewhere were mixed as investors tried to sort out conflictingindicators
about the health of the global economy.The Nikkei 225shed 3.2 percent to close at 14,142.65, after its
stalwart export sectorwas hit with wide-ranging losses. The benchmark in Tokyo has been on atear, rising 36
percent since the beginning of the year. The yen’ssteady fall against other major currencies has been a
major marketpropellant but it reversed some of that decline Monday after reaching103 to the dollar last
week.The yen’s recent weakness has been abyproduct of the economic stimulus policies embraced this year by
PrimeMinister Shinzo Abe, who has embarked on an aggressive campaign to liftconsumer prices and encourage
borrowing and spending. As part of thateffort, Japan’s central bank is flooding its financial system
withmoney, helping reduce the value of the yen.Nissan Motor Corp. dropped 6.8 percent. Yamaha Motor Co.
tumbled 7.9 percent. Sony Corp. slid 6.3 percent.Inearly European trading, Germany’s DAX rose 0.7 percent to
8,365.43.France’s CAC-40 advanced 0.9 percent to 3,992.02. Markets in Britain andthe U.S. were closed for
public holidays.Hopes for a globaleconomic recovery were undermined last week when a survey on
China’smonthly manufacturing pace showed a bigger-than-expected decline.Less-than-clear indications from the
U.S. Federal Reserve on whether itmight scale back its aggressive bond-buying program, dubbed
quantitativeeasing or QE, also caused investors to curb their enthusiasm.HongKong’s Hang Seng reversed early
losses to rise 0.3 percent to 22,686.05after pledges by China’s leaders to pursue sustainable growth
helpedpush up alternative energy stocks. China Everbright International jumped5 percent. Anton Oilfield
Services, which is pursuing shale gasdevelopment in China, surged 8.3 percent."We have seen a lot
offunds buying into shale gas, wind power and environmental protection,"said Jackson Wong, vice
president at Tanrich Securities in Hong Kong.Wong also said that a recovery in mainland Chinese stocks
helped theHang Seng.South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.3 percent to 1,979.97.Benchmarks in mainland China and
Taiwan rose. Australia’s S&P/ASX200 declined 0.5 percent to 4,959.90. Benchmarks in the Philippines,
NewZealand and Indonesia fell.Benchmark oil for July delivery wasdown 60 cents to $93.54 in electronic
trading on the New York MercantileExchange. The contract fell 10 cents to $94.15 a barrel on the Nymex
onFriday.In currencies, the euro rose to $1.2942 from $1.2934 lateFriday in New York. The dollar was at
100.86 yen down from last week’shigh of more than 103 yen per dollar.___Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter
athttp://twitter.com/pamelasampsonCopyright 2013 The Associated Press.