Taiwan & Australia Lead Asian Stock Rally as Markets Hit Record Highs

Asian equities surge—fueled by Taiwan's tech boom and Australia's commodity rebound—while the rest of the world plays catch-up.

Semiconductors and Shovels Carry the Day

Taiwan's TSMC-driven rally and Australia's mining giants defied the 'overvalued' whispers, proving money still flows to winners (until the next correction).

The Cynic's Footnote

Another day, another record high—because nothing says 'healthy market' like central bank liquidity doing the heavy lifting.

Mixed performance across Asia‑Pacific

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.5%, ending at 8,765.00, while South Korea’s Kospi eased 0.6% to 3,173.69 and India’s Sensex slipped 0.3%.

In the U.S., the S&P 500 rose 0.5% on Thursday to 6,297.36, eclipsing its prior high from a week earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also advanced 0.5% to 44,484.49.

The Nasdaq composite notched a 0.7% gain to reach 20,885.65, establishing a second consecutive record.

AI stocks power U.S. rally

Trading on Thursday was calmer than the previous day, when President Donald TRUMP rattled markets by suggesting he had explored firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, which he later dismissed.

Such an action might deliver the lower rates Wall Street craves but could also weaken the Fed’s resolve to contain inflation.

Yields on U.S. Treasuries fluctuated amid a string of strong releases. Retail sales topped forecasts last month, and the robust job market helped the economy avoid a downturn.

Meanwhile, AI-related names lent support to U.S. equities. Nvidia climbed about 1%, and PepsiCo jumped 7.5% after beating revenue and profit estimates.

In commodities, U.S. crude inched up $0.33 to $66.56 a barrel, with Brent also rising $0.33 to $69.85; the dollar hovered around ¥148.67, and the euro firmed to $1.1623.

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