Asian Stocks Mixed as Japan and South Korea Lead Tech Rebound, China Lags
Asian stock markets traded mixed on Tuesday, with Japan and South Korea extending gains as technology shares continued to rebound. In contrast, China’s markets lagged behind amid ongoing worries about sluggish economic growth.
Wall Street Momentum Boosts Asian Sentiment
Regional markets followed a positive lead from Wall Street, which surged overnight as technology stocks recouped some of last week’s sharp losses. Optimism also grew after the U.S. Senate passed a bill to end the prolonged government shutdown, lifting overall investor confidence.
S&P 500 futures edged up 0.1% in Asian trading, signaling continued strength following Wall Street’s recovery session.
Japan and South Korea Extend Tech-Driven Gains
Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.6%, while South Korea’s KOSPI jumped 1.5%, both supported by a renewed rally in technology shares.
Tech stocks rebounded strongly after last week’s steep sell-off, as investors appeared to look beyond concerns of overvaluation and an AI-driven bubble. Major South Korean chipmakers SK Hynix Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. gained nearly 4% each, providing the biggest boost to the KOSPI.
In Japan, SoftBank Group Corp. advanced 3% ahead of its September-quarter earnings release later in the day. Sony Corp. also rose 0.4% after beating earnings expectations and raising its annual profit forecast.
China’s Markets Weaken Amid Growth Concerns
China’s Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 index dropped 0.7%, while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.4%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also declined 0.2%.
Mainland markets continued to lag their Asian peers due to persistent worries over economic slowdown. Recent October data showed limited improvement across industrial output and retail sales, reinforcing investor caution.
A mild uptick in October inflation, partly driven by the Golden Week holiday, did little to lift sentiment. Even Beijing’s latest stimulus pledges failed to impress markets.
Still, Chinese equities have risen sharply in 2025 — the CSI 300 up 22% and the Hang Seng more than 35% — largely supported by optimism surrounding China’s artificial intelligence and tech development sectors.
Broader Asia Sees Mixed Performance
Elsewhere in the region, Singapore’s Straits Times Index outperformed, rising 1.2% thanks to gains in major local banks.
Meanwhile, Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 0.1% after Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) fell 6%. The country’s largest lender reported that strong competition and lower interest rates had squeezed profit margins, despite a small rise in quarterly earnings.
In India, Nifty 50 futures inched higher, with the index holding comfortably above the key 25,000-point level, signaling ongoing resilience in South Asian markets.
