On Wednesday morning (25 February, 10:32 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), major indices in the Asia Pacific increased, with Japan’s NIKKEI and South Korea’s KOSPI clinching record highs, mirroring positive momentum from U.S. markets. The surge followed renewed investor confidence after technology sector concerns eased.
Reassurances emerged from Anthropic PBC, which indicated intentions to form integration partnerships. This statement helped diminish investor fears that Anthropic’s Claude chatbot might disrupt established firms, alleviating volatility that had unsettled markets in recent weeks.
The global equities rebound came after extended declines linked to worries about artificial intelligence upending sectors such as software, wealth management, insurance, and cybersecurity. Market sentiment was further challenged earlier in the week amid concerns about tariffs and geopolitical frictions.
Meanwhile, Ritesh Ganeriwal, who oversees investment at Syfe Pte in Singapore, noted that the latest upturn represents a technical stabilization after widespread risk-off moves rather than a fundamental repositioning in investor strategy.
Japan’s NIKKEI surged by 1.44% to 58,145.08. South Korea’s KOSPI jumped by 2.37% to 6,111.38, and Australia’s ASX 200 gained 1.01% to 9,113.10.
As for stocks in China, Shanghai’s SSEC increased by 1.06% to 4,161.12. Shenzhen’s SZI advanced by 1.27% to 14,472.37, and Hong Kong’s HSI rose by 0.65% to 26,764.20.
The U.S. stock markets edged up on Tuesday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) grew by 0.76% to 49,174.50. NASDAQ escalated by 1.05% to 22,863.68, and S&P 500 expanded by 0.77% to 6,890.07. VIX dropped by 6.95% to 19.55.
As for commodities, oil prices settled lower on Tuesday, following remarks from Iran indicating willingness to do what is needed to achieve a nuclear agreement with the United States, after a period marked by increased U.S. military presence in the Middle East. Brent crude finished the session at $70.77 per barrel, slipping 72 cents. U.S. West Texas Intermediate ended at $65.63, down 68 cents.
However, the benchmarks rose on Wednesday, with the risk of supply interruptions due to the potential conflict keeping markets cautious. Dialogue between the two countries is scheduled for Thursday. This morning, Brent crude futures gained 65 cents, or 0.92%, to $71.42 per barrel, and the WTI increased 59 cents, or 0.90%, to $66.22 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures climbed by 0.47% to $5,200.80 per Troy ounce.
