Asian stocks dipped on Monday amid a lack of immediate directional cues in light year-end trade, although Japanese shares managed to rise following a rebound in crude oil prices from multiple-year lows. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gave up earlier modest gains and were down 0.4 percent. Japan’s Nikkei (.N225) rose 0.7 percent, with soft domestic production and retail data offset by a rebound in crude oil prices.