Asian shares lose ground after Wall Street falls

Asian stock markets retreated in early trading Tuesday after Wall Street stumbled and the yen climbed.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average lost 1 percent to 9,025.41. The index at one point fell under the 9,000 level for the first time since May 2009.

Selling hit exporter shares as the yen strengthened against the dollar, following news that Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa did not discuss currency intervention during a phone conversation Monday.

Elsewhere, South …