Asian markets update: Stocks rise as tech rally fuels gains; gold nears record high

Asian markets climbed on Thursday, led by a rally in technology stocks, as investors took cues from Wall Street’s gains following softer US inflation data.

The Nasdaq’s rebound boosted sentiment across regional equities, while gold inched closer to its all-time high and oil prices stabilized after a sharp rally.

Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.9%, driven by advances in semiconductor giants like Advantest and Tokyo Electron.

Taiwan’s tech-heavy index gained 0.6%, while South Korea’s KOSPI climbed 0.7%.

Meanwhile, China’s blue-chip stocks edged up 0.1%, though Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.3% after paring early gains.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 added 0.5% on Wednesday, while the Nasdaq surged 1.2% as megacap tech stocks rebounded sharply.

Futures on both indexes pointed slightly higher on Thursday, suggesting further optimism in global equities.

US Treasury yields remained elevated as investors assessed trade tensions and inflation risks.

The yield on the two-year Treasury note hovered around 3.92%, up from Tuesday’s five-month low of 3.83%.

Market focus now shifts to upcoming producer price data, which could provide further insight into inflationary pressures.

The euro steadied after retreating from a five-month high, following President Donald Trump’s warning of a response to the EU’s counter-tariff threats.

Meanwhile, optimism over diplomatic progress between Russia and Ukraine continued to support the shared currency.

In commodities, gold climbed within $13 of its record peak, buoyed by safe-haven demand, while crude oil held steady after a 2% surge in the previous session, driven by a smaller-than-expected rise in US stockpiles.

As global markets navigate inflation trends and trade uncertainties, investors remain focused on upcoming economic data and central bank signals for further direction.