SINGAPORE — Asia-Pacific markets traded higher on Thursday, diverging from Wall Street where technology stocks like Nvidia and Oracle extended losses for a second straight session.
Nvidia fell nearly 1% overnight, continuing its retreat amid investor skepticism about the sustainability of the AI sector’s rapid growth.
In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi hovered just above the flatline, while the smaller Kosdaq slipped 0.49%. Defense names outperformed, with Korea Aerospace up 0.66% and Poongsan jumping 4%. Internet giant Naver surged more than 7% after announcing an investment in health startup GravityLabs.
Taiwan’s Taiex lost 0.33%, weighed down by a 1.12% drop in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) following reports from Bloomberg that Intel is seeking investment from Apple. While Apple previously relied on Intel chips before shifting to TSMC with the launch of its M1 chip in 2020, the report suggested it is unlikely to return to Intel.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 added 0.2%, while the broader Topix advanced 0.43%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 reversed earlier losses to close up 0.21%.
The moves highlight how regional equities are showing resilience even as U.S. tech valuations face renewed scrutiny.
