Asian markets posted gains Wednesday as technology shares, particularly in Japan, recovered from recent losses amid easing concerns about artificial intelligence's impact on the sector. With China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore closed for Lunar New Year, trading volumes remained subdued. Japan's Nikkei rose 1.1% and the Topix gained 1.4% as both indexes bounced back from steep losses earlier in the week.

Tech shares led the recovery on the Nikkei after weeks of declines, while broader Japanese equities benefited from bargain buying following two days of sharp losses triggered by dismal fourth-quarter GDP data. Stronger-than-expected January trade data provided additional support, showing Japan's key exports surged more than anticipated. However, the country's imports unexpectedly fell, resulting in a trade deficit for the month.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.4%, extending gains from the prior session. CSL Ltd gained 0.6% on a licensing deal with Eli Lilly, while BHP Group fell 1.6% from record highs after strong first-half earnings. Santos dropped 1.7% following a 25% slide in annual profit. India's Nifty 50 moved little in morning trade as local software names struggled to recover from bruising losses amid concerns that AI developments could erode their market share.