Shopify shares surged 7.1% in early trade after the company unveiled a Muse AI partnership with Meta Platforms, sending the MSCI Asia Pacific index higher by 0.4%.
The deal, announced on Wednesday, ties Shopify’s e‑commerce platform to Meta’s AI‑driven content engine, positioning the retailer at the forefront of AI‑augmented commerce.
Meanwhile, the Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.8% to a record high, and the semiconductor index jumped over 2%, fueling optimism across the region.
Oil prices slipped further, with Brent falling to $98 a barrel before recovering to $99, marking a six‑session loss streak and a 9% decline, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures slipped to $89.56.
Geopolitical chatter added to the backdrop: a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, kept trade‑tension flags low.
Analysts now expect continued AI‑driven momentum to sustain the rally, but caution that commodity volatility and geopolitical shifts could temper gains ahead of the next earnings cycle.