Asia-Pacific equities edge higher as U.S. tech rally boosts regional sentiment

Equity benchmarks across the Asia-Pacific region advanced on Thursday, mirroring overnight gains on Wall Street after stronger-than-expected earnings from Advanced Micro Devices renewed appetite for companies tied to artificial intelligence development.

Japan leads regional advance

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.45 percent, while the broader Topix added 1.11 percent. Shares in manufacturers linked to AI hardware outperformed. Advantest, a supplier of semiconductor testing gear to Nvidia, climbed 3.73 percent. Chip designer Renesas Electronics gained just over 4 percent, and equipment maker Disco Corp advanced 4.59 percent.

South Korea mixed after early strength

Seoul’s Kospi index surrendered early gains to hover near unchanged territory following a decline in the prior session. Memory-chip producer SK Hynix, another Nvidia supplier, rose 3.11 percent. The tech-heavy, small-cap Kosdaq reversed direction late in the morning, slipping 0.52 percent.

Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China

In Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.28 percent as investors reacted to the global tech rebound and awaited domestic earnings updates.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 0.72 percent, while the onshore CSI 300, which tracks the largest mainland-listed stocks, was little changed.

The session in Hong Kong was marked by the dual listing of two Chinese autonomous-driving companies already traded in the United States. WeRide shares fell more than 12 percent in their debut, and Pony.ai slid almost 8 percent. Regulatory filings showed Pony.ai raised HK$6.7 billion (approximately US$860 million) through its initial public offering, whereas WeRide collected HK$2.4 billion.

Indian benchmarks inch higher

India’s Nifty 50 improved 0.1 percent, and the BSE Sensex advanced 0.29 percent in early trade as investors digested corporate earnings and monitored global cues.

Wall Street backdrop

Overnight in New York, technology shares drove major U.S. indices to fresh gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 225.76 points, or 0.48 percent, closing at 47,311.00. The S&P 500 added 0.37 percent to 6,796.29, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.65 percent to 23,499.80. The move followed quarterly results from AMD that topped analyst estimates, reinforcing optimism around demand for AI processors.

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U.S. equity futures were largely steady during Asian trading hours. Market participants also tracked developments in Washington, where the U.S. Supreme Court signaled skepticism toward tariffs imposed under the previous administration. Any decision could influence trade policy and corporate earnings forecasts, though investors appeared cautious ahead of a final ruling.

Sector focus: Artificial intelligence

The latest rebound in semiconductor and AI-related shares followed a short-lived sell-off earlier in the week that analysts had attributed to valuation concerns. Traders said AMD’s earnings report helped reaffirm demand expectations for high-performance chips used in data centers and generative AI applications.

In Japan, gains for hardware suppliers underscored the country’s integral role in the global semiconductor supply chain. In South Korea, SK Hynix benefited from improved sentiment around memory pricing and its position as a major provider of high-bandwidth memory for AI accelerators. Meanwhile, the mixed debut of autonomous-vehicle firms in Hong Kong highlighted investor selectivity within the broader technology sector.

Currency and commodities snapshot

The Japanese yen traded near ¥151.3 per dollar, little changed on the day, while the Australian dollar held around US$0.66. Brent crude futures hovered near US$83 a barrel, and spot gold was stable at roughly US$2,025 per ounce as traders awaited fresh economic data.

Regional investors now look to upcoming U.S. employment figures and Chinese inflation data for additional direction. Earnings releases from several major Asian technology companies are also scheduled over the next week, which could further test the sustainability of the current rebound in AI-linked stocks.

Crédito da imagem: Getty Images