Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed as Chinese shares resume their upward climb

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday after Japan reported its exports jumped nearly 10% in December, though shares in Tokyo declined. U.S. futures and oil prices edged higher. Chinese shares resumed their upward climb after the vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Wang Jiangjun, called for better protections for investors and for instilling confidence in the potential for gains in the markets, which have faltered in recent months. Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 2% to 15,569.39, helped by gains in technology companies like e-commerce giant Alibaba, which surged 3.8%. The Shanghai Composite index recovered from…