In Japan, the Nikkei 225 briefly crossed the 59,000 mark for the first time before trimming gains to close 0.2% higher at 58,715.33. Shares of SoftBank Group, which has significant exposure to AI-related investments, rose 3.5%, while chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron fell 2.8%, News.Az reports, citing AP.
Investor sentiment in Tokyo was also supported by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s appointment of two economists seen as favoring low interest rates to the board of the central bank.
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South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.3% to 6,222.29, extending its rally after surpassing the 6,000 level for the first time a day earlier. The index has surged 44% since the start of the year, rebounding from a turbulent political period that culminated in former President Yoon Suk Yeol receiving a life sentence.
Shares of Samsung Electronics climbed 5.5%, while chipmaker SK Hynix gained 2.5%.
Elsewhere in the region, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.4% to 26,656.29, and the Shanghai Composite dipped 0.1% to 4,144.08. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5% to 9,174.50. Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.2%, and India’s Sensex traded 0.3% higher.
Nvidia’s results had a broad impact on global markets given its position as the world’s most valuable company and the largest component of the S&P 500. The California-based chipmaker reported a 73% year-on-year jump in quarterly revenue to $68 billion and forecast $78 billion in revenue for the current quarter, exceeding analyst expectations.
Chief Executive Jensen Huang said demand for Nvidia’s chips remains “skyrocketing,” emphasizing during a conference call that artificial intelligence is firmly established and not a passing trend.
Nvidia shares rose 0.2% in after-hours trading following the earnings release, which came after markets closed on Wednesday. While the strong results eased some concerns about whether massive AI investments will deliver returns, many investors remain cautious.
Thomas Mathews, head of markets for Asia Pacific at Capital Economics, said in a research note that robust profit growth, highlighted by Nvidia’s results, supports expectations that the S&P 500 could perform well in 2026. He projected the index could reach 8,000 by year-end.
On Wednesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.8% to 6,946.13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.6% to 49,482.15, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3% to 23,152.08.
In commodities trading early Thursday, U.S. benchmark crude oil added 16 cents to $65.58 per barrel, while Brent crude rose 21 cents to $71.90. Gold prices declined 0.3%, and silver fell 2%.
In currency markets, the U.S. dollar slipped to 155.89 Japanese yen from 156.39 yen. The euro edged up to $1.1817 from $1.1812.
