World Stocks Mixed; US Launches Strikes05/26 05:12

   Shares were mixed Tuesday in Europe and Asia after the U.S. military said it 
carried out what it called "self-defense" strikes in southern Iran.

   (AP) -- Shares were mixed Tuesday in Europe and Asia after the U.S. military 
said it carried out what it called "self-defense" strikes in southern Iran, 
including on missile launch sites and boats placing mines.

   The attacks came even as President Donald Trump said on social media that 
negotiations on ending the war were "proceeding nicely."

   In early European trading, Germany's DAX lost 0.7% to 25,214.08, while the 
CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.9% to 8,187.07. In Britain, the FTSE 100 gained 0.7% to 
10,540.40.

   The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 
0.5%.

   Oil prices were mixed, with Brent crude rising but still trading below $100 
a barrel while U.S. benchmark crude oil fell.

   The U.S. military said the strikes Monday were done "to protect our troops 
from threats posed by Iranian forces." It said it used restraint due to the 
ceasefire with Iran, which gave no official response. Further details were not 
immediately available, including more specifics on threats from Iran and what 
this means for negotiations.

   With the status of peace talks with Iran unclear, markets have been swayed 
by various developments and comments by Trump.

   "Markets are behaving as though a full Iran breakthrough already exists, 
even though the hardest parts of the negotiation remain unresolved," Stephen 
Innes of SPI Asset Management wrote in a commentary. "Washington continues to 
signal optimism, while Tehran insists no agreement is imminent."

   During Asian trading, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 lost 0.3% to 64,996.09, falling 
back from an all-time high close over 65,000 on Monday.

   In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index was nearly unchanged at 25,599.45, while 
the Shanghai Composite index shed 0.2% to 4,145.37.

   South Korea's Kospi jumped 2.6% to 8,047.51, catching up after markets were 
closed Monday for a holiday.

   The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia lost 0.4% to 8,657.80.

   Benchmark U.S. crude oil declined $3.67 to $92.97 a barrel. Brent crude, the 
international standard, gained $3.03 to $96.45 a barrel after falling nearly $5 
on Monday.

   U.S. markets were closed on Monday for the Memorial Day holiday. On Friday, 
the S&P 500 added 0.4% and the Dow industrials climbed 0.6%. The Nasdaq 
composite gained 0.2%.

   Global markets advanced Monday after regional officials in the Middle East 
said the United States was close to reaching an agreement with Iran to end the 
war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly 
enriched uranium. But it's not clear when or how the deal might be finalized 
and when its various parts will take effect.

   An end to the war would ease concerns throughout a region that saw Gulf 
havens and travel hubs like the United Arab Emirates struck by Iranian missiles 
and drones.

   It would allow for global shipping, including an estimated 20% of the 
world's oil, to resume flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. It also would 
allow the rebuilding of energy and other infrastructure in the region.

   In other dealings early Tuesday, the U.S. dollar rose to 159.09 Japanese yen 
from 158.91 yen. The euro cost $1.1636, down from $1.1645.