Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Asian Stocks Slip as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Lift Oil, Dollar Strength Persists 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Investors Eye China Data, RBNZ Outlook and U.S.-Iran Ceasefire 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
Japan Targets 1%+ Real Economic Growth With ¥370 Trillion Investment Plan 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Asian Markets Lifted by Chinese Stimulus Expectations
Most Asian stocks gained on Thursday, with Chinese markets leading the charge ahead of a government briefing on stimulus measures for the property sector. The Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes rose by 1.2%, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong surged by 2.4%, driven by strong performance in property stocks.
The briefing, scheduled for later today, will outline new support for China's property market. Since late September, recent government announcements have fueled optimism for an economic recovery, leading to significant gains in Chinese stocks. Investors also await China's third-quarter GDP data, due Friday, which is expected to provide further insights into the country’s economic trajectory.
TSMC Earnings to Highlight AI Demand
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is set to release its third-quarter earnings later today, a key focus for investors. TSMC, a leader in global chipmaking, is expected to report a net profit of T$300.1 billion ($9.33 billion), driven by increasing demand for artificial intelligence technologies. Despite a 1% dip in Taipei shares, expectations remain high for AI-driven growth.
However, recent forecasts from ASML, another major player in the tech industry, indicated weaker sales for 2025, raising concerns about the sector’s future outlook.
Mixed Performance Across Broader Asian Markets
Australia's ASX 200 reached a record high, gaining 1% on optimism over China’s stimulus and strong domestic labor data. Meanwhile, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% after reporting a larger-than-expected trade deficit for September, impacted by slowing exports to China.
South Korea's KOSPI remained flat, with chipmaking stocks subdued ahead of TSMC’s earnings, while India’s Nifty 50 futures pointed to a slightly weaker opening as major firms prepare to release earnings.
