SK Hynix’s shares climbed 4% in early trade on Thursday after the company disclosed a strong operating profit for the quarter.
The climb helped lift the Kospi by 3.99%, the highest gain among major Asian indices, pushing the MSCI Asia Pacific up 0.6%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.31% and Topix added 0.50%, while Hang Seng futures hinted at a 0.3% rise for Hong Kong. The Indian market was set to open in the red, with the GIFT Nifty signalling a decline.
The rally was buoyed by a wave of AI‑related enthusiasm, as Meta’s $25 billion share sale drew demand five times the offer and Oracle broadened its partnership with OpenAI.
Investors are now focused on the US Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate decision, expected to keep rates unchanged on Wednesday, and on the earnings of Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon in the coming days.
With the Fed likely to hold rates, market participants are positioning for earnings season, while SK Hynix’s plan to return 100 trillion won to shareholders in 2026 adds a positive long‑term outlook.