Tech follows Nvidia's surge, as Asian stocks are supported by predictions on rate cuts.


On Thursday, most Asian markets saw increases as investors became more optimistic about falling interest rates globally. Meanwhile, regional technology shares soared in tandem with Nvidia's overnight advances in the hot topic of artificial intelligence.

The Wall Street performance of the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite, which closed at all-time highs, gave regional markets hope. Weak job market data contributed to the gains by heightening expectations that the Federal Reserve would lower interest rates by September.

Global excitement regarding reduced lending rates was further bolstered by the Bank of Canada's rate cut on Wednesday and the expectation of a widely anticipated cut by the European Central Bank on Thursday.

A emphasis on additional labor market data led to a small increase in U.S. stock index futures during Asian trading.

Asian chipmakers and tech watch the Nvidia rally
The top performers in Thursday's Asian trading were indexes with a lot of technology. The Nikkei 225 index in Japan increased 1.3%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong advanced 1%.

Following the market darling NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)'s Wednesday rally to a $3 trillion valuation amid ongoing euphoria surrounding AI, stocks exposed to the chipmaking industry saw a spike. Positive remarks from the largest semiconductor equipment manufacturer in the world, ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML), appeared to bolster sentiment towards chipmakers.

The markets are betting that a rise in AI demand would contribute to a rise in chip demand worldwide.

The largest contract chipmaker in the world, TSMC (TW:2330) (NYSE:TSM), which is a major supplier to Nvidia, increased 5% to reach a record high in Taiwan trade.

Advantest Corp. (TYO:6857), a Japanese company that manufactures semiconductor testing equipment that supplies Nvidia, had a 5.2% increase in value. The largest chip manufacturer in China, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (HK:0981), increased 3.7% in Hong Kong trade.

More expansive Asian markets progressed as well. Australia's main exports declined in April, according to trade data, while imports fell due to sluggish demand, but the country's ASX 200 index increased by 0.8%.

Tokyo's TOPIX index increased by 0.8%.

Chinese stocks declined as the February–May recovery surge fizzled out. The Shanghai Composite decreased by 0.1%, whereas the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 increased by 0.2%.

Focus is on Indian stocks following their post-election surge.
India's Nifty 50 index futures indicated a slightly negative opening on Thursday following this week's extreme fluctuations on both the index and the BSE Sensex 30.