Asian markets delivered a strong performance on Tuesday, led by record-setting gains in Japan, as momentum from Wall Street’s rally continued to ripple through global equities.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.3% to close at 52,518.08, punching through its previous October 31 peak to set a new all-time high. The advance was driven by heavy buying in technology-linked names, including precision tools specialist Disco, which surged 6.1%.
South Korea’s Kospi also extended its record run, gaining 1.5% to 4,525.98, supported by strength in carmakers and electronics manufacturers. In China, markets joined the rally: Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index jumped 1.5% to 26,748.80, while the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.5% to 4,082.36, its highest level in four years.
Elsewhere, performance was mixed. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.5% to 8,682.80, while Taiwan’s Taiex advanced 1.6%. In India, the Sensex fell 0.5%.
Oil prices eased back after Monday’s sharp surge, which followed the weekend capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by US forces.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a fresh record of 48,977.18, led by gains in Chevron, the only US oil company operating in Venezuela. The broader S&P 500 added 0.6%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 0.7%, rounding off a firmly risk-on session for global markets.
