Asian stock markets ended mixed on Wednesday as investors weighed easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East against ongoing concerns over global growth and interest rates. Regional markets were also supported by another strong session on Wall Street, where artificial intelligence-related stocks continued to drive gains.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 hovered near record highs, briefly crossing the 66,000 level before closing little changed. Technology and semiconductor shares remained the primary drivers of the rally as investors continued betting on long-term AI demand.
South Korea’s Kospi outperformed most regional indexes, surging more than 2% on strong gains in chipmakers and electronics firms.
Taiwan’s Taiex also advanced as semiconductor stocks extended recent momentum.
Chinese and Hong Kong equities lagged behind the broader region. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell more than 1%, pressured by weakness in major technology firms including Tencent and Xiaomi.
China’s Shanghai Composite also declined as traders reacted cautiously to mixed economic data and concerns about slowing domestic demand. Despite softer market performance, new data showed Chinese industrial profits rose sharply in April, suggesting parts of the economy continue to stabilize.
Australia’s ASX 200 finished higher, supported by gains in mining and financial stocks as commodity prices steadied.
Meanwhile, India’s Sensex traded slightly lower amid profit-taking after recent gains.
Oil prices fell sharply after recent spikes, easing fears of a prolonged supply disruption through the Strait of Hormuz. Lower crude prices helped improve overall market sentiment across Asia and reduced inflation concerns globally.
Investors are now turning their attention to upcoming U.S. inflation data and central bank commentary for further clues on the direction of interest rates and global equity markets.
