Asian shares mostly low

Asian markets mostly fell on Thursday following two days of gains, while increasing optimism over the recovery in the US economy boosted the dollar.Tokyo gained 0.40 percent by the break, Hong Kong fell 0.38 percent, Sydney shed 0.52 percent, Shanghai was 0.45 percent lower and Seoul was off 0.23 percent.Investors took a breather after recent gains that were fuelled by Greeces successful debt swap with private creditors last week, strong US jobs data and upbeat comments from the Federal Reserve on US economy.Tokyo exporters were lifted by the weakening yen, which fell to a fresh 11-month low against the dollar after the Fed doused any chance of monetary easing in the near term.Adding to selling pressure on the yen was the Bank of Japans decision last month to pump more cash into the countrys stuttering economy.The dollar rose to 84.13 yen in Tokyo against 83.68 yen late Wednesday in New York, while the euro advanced to 109.42 yen compared with 109.08 yen.The euro bought $1.3006, compared with $1.3032 and in New York.The US dollar in particular has been buoyed by higher US bond yields, Mitul Kotecha, strategist at French bank Credit Agricole, said in a note.Risk measures continue to improve, suggesting that the overall tone to risk assets will remain positive, he said, according to Dow Jones Newswires.The dollar may climb as high as 84.50 yen during the session, backed by rising US Treasury yields and an improving outlook for the US economy, said Masashi Murata, senior currency strategist at investment bank Brown Brothers Harriman in Tokyo.Shanghai and Hong Kong shares remained weak after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said property prices were still too high in the country and that tightening measures aimed at bringing them down were unlikely to be eased in the near term.Oil prices were mixed in Asian trade Thursday as concerns over tensions between the West and Iran were tempered by rising stockpiles in the United States.New Yorks main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April, was up six cents to $105.49 while Brent North Sea crude for April delivery shed 26 cents to $124.71.Gold was at $1,645.95 an ounce at 0335 GMT, compared with $1,659.39 late Wednesday.