Asian shares trade mixed and Kospi falls nearly 4% as oil prices keep swinging

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Tuesday as uncertainty about what will happen with the Iran war roiled global markets.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.6% in morning trading to 60,433.79, erasing initial gains after the government reported that the economy grew for the second straight quarter in January-March, mainly due to better than expected consumer spending.

South Korea’s Kospi sank more than 4% in early trading and was down 3.5% at 7,249.73 by midday. Shares in Samsung Electronics slipped 3.8% and SK Hynix fell 4%, tracking losses in tech shares overnight on Wall Street.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.9% to 8,582.80. Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 0.5% to 25,811.28, while the Shanghai Composite shed 0.3% to 4,121.11.

On Monday, the S&P 500 swiveled between gains and losses before finishing with a dip of 0.1% at 7,403.05, its second loss since setting an all-time high last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% to 49,686.12, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.5% to 26,090.73.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude lost $1.36 to $103.02 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, dipped $1.99 to $110.11 a barrel.

Oil prices have been gyrating lately because of uncertainty over how long the Iran war will keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, preventing oil tankers from delivering crude. Japan, for instance, imports just about all its oil, much of it previously through the strait.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard was trading at about $70 before the war. It fell after President Donald Trump said in a social media post that he was holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” are underway to end the war.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose as high as 4.63% before falling back to 4.59%, where it was late Friday.

Delta Air Lines finished essentially flat after swinging up and down through the day because of oil prices. It got an early boost following news that Berkshire Hathaway had bought more than $2.6 billion of the airline’s stock. Berkshire Hathaway built a reputation as a value investor able to buy stocks at low prices under its former leader, Warren Buffett.

Investors are watching for Nvidia’s latest quarterly results, due Wednesday. The chip company has routinely blown past analysts’ expectations each quarter while forecasting more growth. Target, Home Depot and Walmart also report results this week.

In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 158.96 Japanese yen from 158.84 yen. The euro cost $1.1643, down from $1.1657.

AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

Asia markets index of Japan, South Korea and Australia is seen on a screen at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A dealer walks near the screens showing the foreign exchange rates at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A delivery person on a bicycle waits for a traffic light near an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Monday, May 18, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Monday, May 18, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A dealer watches computer monitors at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Carson Benge led the New York Mets to another extra-inning victory, hitting an RBI single and a two-run double during a 10-run 12th inning in a wild 16-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.

New York became the first National League team to score at least 10 runs in an extra inning since the 1919 Cincinnati Reds broke loose for 10 in the 13th inning at Brooklyn.

The Nationals made four errors and left 19 runners on base, but kept it close until falling apart in the 12th. Paxton Schultz (0-1) retired his first hitter on a sacrifice bunt, but the next six reached base, starting with Benge's infield single off Schultz's glove that put the Mets up 7-6.

Benge scored on Vidal Bruján's bunt single with the bases loaded, Brett Baty added a two-run single and Marcus Semien's RBI single made it 11-6.

By then, things had gone so horribly awry that Washington moved infielder Jorbit Vivas to the mound and put designated hitter José Tena in the field. There was clearly some confusion over whether that would be allowed, with Schultz coming back onto the field at one point, but umpires eventually let the Nats make the move. A.J. Ewing hit an RBI single and Benge added a two-run double off Vivas.

New York improved to 6-4 in extra-inning games, the most any major league team has played this season. The Mets, trying to climb out of an early hole, have won six of seven overall — with three coming in extras. Benge came through with the go-ahead swing in all three.

Schultz received his first career decision in his 27th big league appearance.

Baty and Bo Bichette homered for New York, which led 5-3 before the Nationals scored in the seventh and eighth. Both teams got a run in the 11th.

Huascar Brazobán (3-1) worked through a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th to keep the game tied. After the Mets took a 6-5 lead in the 11th, he allowed an RBI infield single to Joey Wiemer that tied it, but after a double by Vivas put runners on second and third with two outs, the Nationals couldn't push across the winning run.

Baty's 451-foot homer in the fourth cleared the center-field fence and ricocheted off a taller wall that's part of the batter's eye.

Nolan McLean (2-2) starts for the Mets against Washington's Foster Griffin (4-2) on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Washington Nationals' Joey Wiemer slides into home plate as he scores against the New York Mets on a double hit by José Tena during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

Washington Nationals' Jacob Young, left, is checked by manager Blake Butera, center, and head athletic trainer Dale Gilbert, third from left, after he was hit by a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

New York Mets' Bo Bichette watches his home run against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

From left to right, New York Mets left fielder Tyrone Taylor, center fielder A.J. Ewing, and right fielder Carson Benge celebrate after winning a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)

New York Mets catcher Hayden Senger, left, and pitcher Craig Kimbrel, right, celebrate after winning a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jess Rapfogel)