Shanghai Skids 8th Day in a Row --- Exporters Weigh on Tokyo's Shares
Chinese stocks fell for an eighth consecutive session on Monday on concerns high inflation will drive Beijing to policies that could slow economic growth, while Japanese shares were pressed by a stronger yen.</br></br>In Europe, stocks edged lower, with volume thinned by the Memorial Day holiday in the U.S.</br></br>The Shanghai Composite index finished down 0.1%, at 2706.36, an eight-month low. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropped 0.2%, to 9504.97, South Korea's Kospi fell 0.3%, to 2093.79, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gave up 0.4%, to 4667.5, and India's Sensex fell 0.2% to 18232.06.</br></br>Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.3%, to 23184.32, the fifth consecutive climb, and Taiwan's Taiex rose 0.2%, to 8823.68.</br></br>In SHANGHAI, property shares fell on the prospect of slowing economic growth and concerns that tight power supplies will cut cement production and drive up prices. Poly Real Estate Group declined 3.3% and Gemdale gave up 2% in Shanghai, while China Vanke fell 1.3% in Shenzhen.