Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.56%, Shanghai Composite down 0.08%, Hang Seng down 0.45% ASX up 0.54%
- Commodities : Gold at $5,204.09 (-0.43%) Silver at $89.040 (-2.14%), Brent Oil at $70.81 (0.17%), WTI Oil at $65.50 (0.12%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.043, UK 10-year yield at 4.3210, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7090
News & Data:
- (USD) Crude Oil Inventories M to 1.8M expected
Markets Update:
Asian markets traded mixed on Thursday, following positive cues from Wall Street, where strong earnings from Nvidia and Oracle eased concerns about AI disruptions. However, investor sentiment remained cautious due to rising tensions between the United States and Iran and ongoing uncertainty over U.S. tariff policies. Most Asian markets had closed higher on Wednesday.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.6 percent to 9,182.60, supported by gains in major miners and technology stocks. BHP, Rio Tinto, and Mineral Resources advanced strongly, while Fortescue declined slightly. Technology stocks performed well, with Xero, WiseTech Global, and Appen posting notable gains. However, weakness in oil, banking, and some gold stocks limited overall advances. IDP Education, Sigma Healthcare, and Cleanaway Waste Management surged after reporting strong earnings and upgrading guidance.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.47 percent to 58,856.98, led by gains in SoftBank, Fast Retailing, Toyota, and financial stocks. Exporters such as Sony and Canon also advanced, while some semiconductor stocks declined.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan gained, while China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia declined slightly.
On Wall Street, the Nasdaq rose 1.3 percent, the S&P 500 gained 0.8 percent, and the Dow added 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, oil prices edged lower to $65.48 per barrel, and the Australian dollar traded at $0.712.
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The post Thursday 26th February 2026: Asian Markets Mixed as Strong Tech Earnings Boost Sentiment Amid Geopolitical Concerns first appeared on IC Markets | Official Blog.