Global Shares Mixed Thursday           10/01 04:46

   Global shares are trading mixed Thursday amid investor interest in 
technology-related issues and ongoing worries about the war in Iran.

   TOKYO (AP) -- Global shares are trading mixed Thursday amid investor 
interest in technology-related issues and ongoing worries about the war in Iran.

   France's CAC 40 declined 1.8% in early trading to 7,822.48, while the German 
DAX dipped 1.4% to 24,851.94. Britain's FTSE 100 dropped 1.8% to 10,413.86. 
U.S. shares were set to drift lower with Dow futures down 0.4% at 50,981.00. 
S&P 500 futures were little changed, inching up less than 0.1% to 7,720.00.

   In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 jumped 3.3% to finish at 68,956.72. 
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost nearly 2.0% to 8,614.40. South Korea's Kospi edged 
up 2.0% to 6,971.35.

   Hong Kong and Shanghai markets were closed for a national holiday.

   In Tokyo trading, issues expected to get a boost from the solid demand in 
computer chips and AI-related growth finished higher, including Advantest 
Corp., Tokyo Electron and SoftBank Group Corp.

   In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 2.06% to $92.28 a barrel. 
Brent crude, the international standard, rose 2.03% to $100.02 a barrel.

   Oil prices have been swinging wildly in recent months amid uncertainty about 
when the war with Iran will allow the flow of crude to be fully restored. 
Iranian officials indicated Wednesday they have received an official U.S. 
response to Tehran's latest proposal to end the seven-month war. The officials 
did not say what the latest response contained and whether it was a rejection.

   U.S. President Donald Trump publicly rejected Iran's proposal just days 
earlier to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the U.S. meets certain 
conditions.

   The trend for a weakening yen didn't change despite a report from the Bank 
of Japan that gave a positive read on the economy. Its quarterly "tankan" 
survey Thursday, widely viewed as a key indicator on Japan 's economic 
vitality, showed large manufacturers' sentiment is up slightly.

   The key indicator of business sentiment has now been improving for the sixth 
quarter straight.

   In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 158.28 Japanese yen from 157.33 
yen. The euro cost $1.1296, down from $1.1334.