Gold Prices Pull Back After Record Highs as January Rally Remains Strong 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
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.
