Asian Shares Rally As AI Worries Ease

Market Overview - Asian shares ended mostly higher, supported by easing AI concerns and positive U.S. economic data, despite thin trading volumes due to Lunar New Year holidays in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan [1] - The dollar remained firm, while gold prices rose above $5,000 an ounce amid reports of potential U.S. military strikes against Iran [2] - Oil prices extended gains after a more than 4% increase on Wednesday [2] Japan - The Nikkei average increased by 0.57% to 57,467.83, and the broader Topix index rose by 1.18% to close at 3,852.09, driven by tech stocks [3] - SoftBank and Tokyo Electron saw gains of 2.6% and 2.9%, respectively, while Advantest fell by 3.6% due to a ransomware cybersecurity incident [3] South Korea - The Kospi average surged by 3.09% to 5,677.25, marking a record high as traders returned from the Lunar New Year holiday [4] - Major semiconductor stocks led the gains, with Samsung Electronics up 4.9%, SK Hynix up 1.6%, and Hyundai Motor up 2.8% [4] Australia - Australian markets reached a four-month high, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 jumping 0.88% to 9,086.20, marking a fourth consecutive session of gains [6] - National Australia Bank rose by 2.4% following strong quarterly results, while BHP increased by 1.8% after reporting higher earnings and revenue for the half-year ended December 31, 2025 [6] New Zealand - New Zealand's S&P/NZX-50 index ended up 1.49% at 13,444.20 after a dovish hold from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand [7] U.S. Economic Data - U.S. industrial production growth for January exceeded market expectations, while new orders for manufactured durable goods declined less than expected in December [8] - Housing starts reached a five-month high, contributing to positive sentiment in the tech sector, particularly following Meta's announcement to deploy millions of Nvidia chips [8]