Asian Markets Edge Higher Amid AI Optimism and Iran Tensions

Asian stocks climb on AI and chip momentum despite Iran war concerns. Wall Street sees mixed results as yields rise.

September 30, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Tokyo, Japan — Asian stock indices showed gains in early Wednesday trading, fueled by positive sentiment around artificial intelligence and semiconductor industries, even as regional investors remained cautious about the ongoing conflict in Iran.

The Nikkei 225 in Japan surged 1.3% to 66,318.81 during morning sessions, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.9% to 8,791.30. South Korea’s Kospi saw minimal movement, rising less than 0.1% to 6,875.84, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged up 0.1% to 24,551.47. The Shanghai Composite also rose slightly, closing at 3,843.26 with a 0.3% increase.

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Shares of SoftBank Group Corp., which has stakes in OpenAI, jumped approximately 6% in Tokyo trade, alongside Japanese chipmakers such as Renesas Electronics and Rohm Co. Meanwhile, U.S. markets closed slightly lower on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 slipping 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declining 0.3%, and the Nasdaq dropping 0.1%. Oil prices fluctuated amid prolonged tensions between the U.S. and Iran, pushing Treasury yields to their highest point in over two decades.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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