United States: Global stock markets have recorded strong gains as renewed investor confidence in artificial intelligence (AI) boosted technology shares, with major indexes across the United States and Asia advancing amid expectations of continued sector growth.
The trading session ended on a positive note, led by the technology-focused Nasdaq Composite, which climbed 1.18 percent. The S&P 500 gained 0.6 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.03 percent.
Technology giants were among the leading contributors to the rally, with five of the seven companies collectively known as the ‘Magnificent Seven’ recording gains. Tesla led the group with a 4.04 percent increase, followed by Amazon, which advanced 1.61 percent. Apple and Alphabet rose 0.93 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.
Nvidia, the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, gained nearly 1 percent after announcing a $3 billion investment in Meta’s equity offering. However, Meta declined 1.64 percent, while Microsoft slipped 0.24 percent.
Other technology companies also registered substantial gains. CoreWeave surged 7.94 percent, Western Digital climbed 6.95 percent, and Advanced Micro Devices advanced 5.45 percent.
Asian markets surge on strong technology earnings
Asian stock markets extended Wall Street’s positive momentum, supported by strong corporate earnings and growing optimism surrounding AI-related investments. South Korea’s KOSPI emerged as the region’s strongest performer, closing 6.63 percent higher following impressive financial results from semiconductor manufacturer SK Hynix.
The company reported a sharp increase in third-quarter operating profit, which surged approximately 630 percent year-on-year to 83.33 trillion won ($62.4 billion). Its shares jumped 10.89 percent following the announcement.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.08 percent, while Taiwan’s TAIEX advanced 2.04 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was trading 0.33 percent higher shortly before the market closed.
The widespread gains reflected renewed investor interest in semiconductor manufacturers, cloud computing providers, and companies supporting the rapidly expanding AI industry.
Investors await major tech earnings
Market analysts believe the latest rally highlights sustained enthusiasm for AI-related companies, although uncertainty remains over whether the upward momentum can continue. Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell in London, noted that strong performances by companies such as CoreWeave, Western Digital, and Super Micro Computing indicate that investors remain optimistic about AI’s growth potential.
However, he cautioned that it remains unclear whether the gains signal the beginning of another sustained AI-driven rally or a temporary recovery following recent concerns about technology stock valuations. Investors are now closely monitoring upcoming earnings announcements from major technology companies to assess whether their substantial spending on AI infrastructure is generating meaningful financial returns.
Microsoft and Alphabet are scheduled to release their latest financial results, followed by Amazon and Apple. Meanwhile, AI developer Anthropic filed paperwork for its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO). The company reported a net loss of $80.7 billion during the first half of 2026, alongside revenue of $16.3 billion.
AI investment growth raises market concerns
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence has encouraged technology companies to commit hundreds of billions of dollars to infrastructure, advanced computing systems, and data centres. However, the scale of these investments has also raised concerns about potentially inflated technology stock valuations, drawing comparisons with the speculative market conditions that preceded the dot-com crash in 2000.
According to technology research firm Gartner, global AI investment is projected to reach $2.7 trillion in 2026 before increasing to $3.6 trillion in 2027. Despite concerns about a possible market bubble, investors continue to view AI as a major driver of long-term growth across the global technology industry.
Meanwhile, global oil prices increased by nearly 2 percent amid continuing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude futures, the international oil benchmark, climbed above $116 per barrel, representing an increase of more than 60 percent compared with levels recorded before the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran.
The combination of rising energy prices, geopolitical uncertainty, and heavy AI investment is expected to remain a significant influence on global financial markets in the coming months.
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