Meta Platforms’ $95B capital raise lit the Asian market, pushing MSCI Asia Pacific up 0.6%. The rally was anchored by Japan’s Nikkei 1.94% and South Korea’s Kospi 3.82%, while the broader Topix added 0.58%. Hang Seng futures barely moved, keeping the Hong Kong scene flat.
The GIFT Nifty signaled a cautious start, pointing to a possible red open for domestic indices. The Japanese yen held at 157.53 per dollar, and the offshore yuan traded at 6.6676 per dollar, reflecting a steady currency backdrop.
Across the Pacific, the S&P 500 finished 0.7% higher and the Nasdaq 100 climbed 1.1%. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged 2.8%, its biggest daily gain since September 21, even as it had slipped 2.9% the day before.
Meta’s investor relations team said the $95B raise is the largest equity offering in its history, and it came two hours after Anthropic filed for an IPO, sparking fresh AI buzz. Broadcom secured a $63B financing deal to back Anthropic’s chip needs, while SpaceX signed a roughly $40B lease for AI‑chip equipment.
The market’s focus now shifts to the earnings calendar: Alphabet and Microsoft are set to report Wednesday, followed by Amazon.com and Intel Thursday. Traders are weighing whether the heightened spending is yielding returns, while the Federal Reserve’s Wednesday meeting is expected to keep rates on hold after a September hike.
Commodities saw Brent crude close near $115 a barrel, a slight decline from Monday’s levels, and diplomatic talks in Tehran aim to defuse West Asian tensions.
Forward‑looking, investors are watching for how the AI wave will translate into quarterly earnings and whether the Fed’s stance will temper the tech‑driven surge.