Asian equity markets mostly rose on Thursday, supported by gains in semiconductor stocks after major US technology firms signaled continued heavy investment in AI infrastructure.
South Korea outperformed, with the Kospi climbing more than 3% as chip giants SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics rallied.
Japan’s Nikkei also advanced around 1%, while shares in Australia, China, and Hong Kong opened higher.
Investors remained encouraged by Alphabet’s higher capital spending plans, with the company expecting to invest up to $205 billion this year, boosting optimism over the outlook for regional chipmakers.
Meanwhile, markets continued to monitor Middle East tensions as escalating conflict pushed oil prices to six-week highs, raising concerns over supply disruptions and inflation risks.