Public Markets 8-Hour Briefing

Equity Momentum

AI buying drove a record one‑day inflow into Taiwanese equities, underscoring chipmakers’ appeal amid the AI boom. Across the region, Korea rally lifted the country’s market value above France, while the Kospi surge saw semiconductor and auto stocks push the index past the 6,000 mark. Later, Asian stocks rallied on the back of technology gains as the dollar slipped following President Trump’s State of the Union remarks.

Currency Shifts

Yen reversal erased earlier gains after the Japanese government nominated two dovish BOJ board members, weakening the yen against the dollar. Meanwhile, a suite of Asian currencies climbed to 16‑month highs on a softer dollar and a firmer yuan. Down‑under, both the Aussie and Kiwi rallied as traders priced in higher global interest rates, and the Singapore dollar inched up amid mild risk‑on sentiment.

Commodities Corner

Gold prices rose on tariff‑related uncertainty, bolstering safe‑haven demand ahead of looming US‑Iran talks. A separate gold edge saw the metal inch higher in Asian trading, while oil gains reflected market nerves ahead of the same diplomatic talks, keeping energy prices on the rise.

Bond Market Activity

Indonesia yuan issued its second offshore yuan bond in four months, testing investor appetite amid growing fiscal concerns. In Japan, Nippon Steel saw its shares tumble after announcing a near‑$4 billion bond sale to fund a U.S. steel acquisition. Across the Atlantic, Fed rate bets intensified as traders piled into futures and options