SoftBank Eyes Up to $25B OpenAI Investment Amid AI Boom 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
U.S. Stock Futures Steady Amid Bank Earnings and Inflation Focus 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Rising Bond Yields Pose Risks to US Stocks and Boost Dollar 
Moody's Upgrades Argentina's Credit Rating Amid Economic Reforms 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
South Korea to End Short-Selling Ban as Financial Market Uncertainty Persists 
Cleveland Fed President Warns of Ongoing Inflation Challenge 
S&P 500 Hits Record High Amid Earnings and Trump's Davos Speech 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Fed Governor Hints at Potential Rate Cuts Amid Positive Inflation Trends 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Asian markets mostly rose on Wednesday, led by a rally in technology stocks following OpenAI’s announcement of a $500 billion AI infrastructure partnership in the U.S. Key players in the venture include Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank Group, which soared over 7%. The initiative, named "Stargate," boosted demand prospects for AI chips and data center infrastructure, driving gains in tech-heavy markets.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.5%, with chipmakers Advantest, Tokyo Electron, and SK Hynix rising between 2.2% and 4%. Taiwan’s TSMC added over 2% in trade, while South Korea’s KOSPI climbed 0.6%. Broader optimism from Wall Street, where Netflix surged 10% after strong earnings, also lifted sentiment across the region.
Other Asian markets followed suit, with Australia’s ASX 200 up 0.4%, and India’s Nifty 50 futures signaling a mildly positive open despite a prior slump.
However, Chinese shares lagged after U.S. President Donald Trump reignited trade war concerns by threatening a 10% tariff on Chinese imports by February, citing issues such as fentanyl trafficking. The Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite dropped 0.9% and 0.8%, respectively, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.3%.
Trump’s tariff remarks underscored lingering trade tensions, though the proposed 10% tariff is far below his earlier 60% threat. Markets remain cautious as China is expected to introduce new stimulus measures to counter U.S. trade challenges.
Investors are also eyeing the Bank of Japan’s upcoming meeting, where a potential interest rate hike could signal confidence in improving economic growth and inflation. The tech rally, combined with global market cues, continues to dominate sentiment in Asian markets.
