Asian markets surged as the technology sector rallied, driven by record highs on Wall Street.
The US dollar rebounded against major currencies as traders assessed the outlook for US interest rates.
Meanwhile, political instability in France, with the government on the brink of collapse, weighed on the euro, which weakened against both the pound and the dollar.
The Chinese yuan also faced downward pressure, dropping to a 13-month low amid concerns about potential new US tariffs on Chinese goods.
In Asia, Japan’s tech-focused Nikkei climbed 1.7%, South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.8%, and Taiwanese shares rose 1.3%. Australia’s benchmark index advanced 0.6% to a new all-time high, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index increased by more than 1.1%, reaching a 17-year high. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.6%, though mainland China’s blue-chip stocks edged up only 0.1%.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3% to 44,782, while the S&P 500 edged up 0.2% to 6,047, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1% to 19,403.
In the bond market, the yield on the benchmark US 10-year Treasury note remained steady at 4.19%.
