Asian shares climb amid Russia-Ukraine talks, oil worries

Asian shares have mostly gained as investors eye talks between Ukraine and Russia aimed at trying to end the war

TOKYO -- Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday as global investors eyed talks aimed at ending the Russian military assault on Ukraine, which so far have yielded just an agreement to keep talking.

Benchmarks were higher in early trading in Tokyo, Sydney and Shanghai. Hong Kong declined and markets were closed in South Korea for a holiday. U.S. futures edged lower and oil prices rose.

Surging oil prices and increasing financial pressure from the U.S. and allies on Russia, one of the world's largest energy exporters, for its invasion of Ukraine are adding to uncertainty about the global economic outlook.

Russian forces shelled Ukraine’s second-largest city on Monday, rocking a residential neighborhood, and closed in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 40-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles.