Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Selloff, Iran Tensions Weigh on Tech Stocks 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
European Earnings Season Gains Strength as Barclays Sees Broader Profit Recovery 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Brent Oil Jumps 16% for Best Week Since April as US-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Gold Prices Slip Near $4,000 as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Inflation Fears 
Asian Markets Cautious as Oil Tops $90, AI Earnings and Fed Rate Fears Weigh on Sentiment 
Hong Kong AI Stocks Rally as Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 Launch Boosts Market Optimism 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
China Holds Loan Prime Rates Steady for 14th Month as Economic Recovery Remains Uneven 
ECB Expected to Hold Rates as Middle East Tensions Keep September Hike in Focus 
Deutsche Bank Says Fed Balance Sheet Cuts Could Weaken US Dollar Instead of Boosting It 
Asian stock markets climbed sharply on Thursday, driven by a strong rebound in technology shares after Nvidia delivered upbeat quarterly results and confident guidance. The chipmaker’s performance eased worries about a potential bubble in the AI sector and boosted global tech sentiment.
Markets across the region tracked Wall Street’s recovery, with U.S. stock index futures jumping after Nvidia’s report. By 21:16 ET (02:16 GMT), S&P 500 Futures were up 1.2%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 1.7%, signaling renewed appetite for growth and semiconductor stocks.
Japan and South Korea led the rally, with the Nikkei 225 surging 3.2% and the KOSPI jumping 2.6%. Investors piled back into tech names after Nvidia reported stronger-than-expected earnings and an outlook supported by robust AI-driven demand. CEO Jensen Huang reiterated that the company’s customer base extends beyond major hyperscalers, dismissing fears of an AI bubble. Nvidia shares climbed more than 5% in after-hours trading.
The positive momentum spilled over to key suppliers. In South Korea and Japan, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Advantest advanced between 4% and 9%. SoftBank Group also rose 3.5%, despite having fully exited its Nvidia stake last year. The broader tech sector benefited from bargain hunting after recent sell-offs tied to valuation concerns.
Elsewhere in Asia, Australia’s ASX 200 rose 1.2%, supported by mining and tech gains, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index inched up 0.3%. Indian Nifty 50 futures added 0.2%. Mainland Chinese markets lagged due to their smaller tech exposure, with the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite each edging up 0.1%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was the region’s main laggard, slipping 0.2% as Xiaomi dropped another 3%. The smartphone giant warned of rising chip costs and faces ongoing doubts about its electric vehicle ambitions, overshadowing its strong quarterly results. NetEase also fell ahead of its earnings release, while local EV stocks weakened on concerns over declining demand following the end of key subsidies.
Despite geopolitical tensions between Japan and China, optimism around global tech growth helped investors maintain a risk-on outlook.
