Taiwan’s stock market surged to a record high on Tuesday, driven largely by a robust rally in technology shares after Nvidia announced a partnership with OpenAI. The Taiex index rose 1.42%, closing at an unprecedented 26,247.37 points, reflecting growing investor confidence in advancements within artificial intelligence.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, Australia’s ASX 200 edged up 0.4% to finish at 8,845.9, indicating cautious optimism despite mixed global influences. South Korea presented a mixed picture, with the Kospi index rising 0.51% to 3,486.19, while the smaller-cap Kosdaq slipped 0.25% after profit-taking activity.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 0.99% as the city prepared for the arrival of Super Typhoon Ragasa, expected to pass near the Pearl River Estuary on Wednesday morning. The Hong Kong Observatory’s weather warnings have unsettled markets amid concerns over potential disruptions.
Mainland China’s CSI 300 index remained flat at 4,519.78, as investors await further policy decisions ahead of political meetings.
Japan’s markets were closed due to a public holiday. Indian technology stocks continued to feel pressure after Monday’s fall, partly due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent announcement imposing a $100,000 visa fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. With Indian nationals accounting for 71% of the nearly 400,000 H-1B visas issued last year, this move has heightened uncertainty within India’s tech sector.
In Singapore, core inflation, which excludes volatile private transport and housing costs, recorded its slowest rise in over four years at 0.3% in August. This figure fell short of economists’ expectations of 0.5% and marks a decline from the previous month’s 0.5%, potentially easing pressure on monetary policy decisions.
In the United States, key stock indexes climbed to new highs driven by enthusiasm over Nvidia’s collaboration with OpenAI and the prospects of AI-driven growth. The S&P 500 increased 0.44% to close at 6,693.75, while the Nasdaq Composite outperformed with a 0.70% gain, ending the session at 22,788.98.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 66.27 points, or 0.14%, to settle at 46,381.54. All three benchmarks hit fresh intraday records before closing at their highest levels.