Asian stocks gain with Kospi soars on improving risk appetite
- Asian equities rise due to improved global sentiment and a strong Wall Street rally.
- Trump signaled US exit from the Iran war soon, with withdrawal possible within two to three weeks
- South Korea’s Kospi’s surge is supported by a stronger earnings outlook for export-driven market.
Asian equities rise as improved global sentiment boosted regional markets following a strong rally on Wall Street overnight. Risk appetite improves on rising hopes for Middle East peace resolution. At the time of writing, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading 4.48% higher near 53,350, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is up over 2% to 25,300, China’s SSE Composite Index gains 1.41% to 3,950, and South Korea’s Kospi gains over 8% to near 5,460.
US President Donald Trump indicated that the United States (US) would be “leaving very soon” from the Iran war, noting that a withdrawal could take place within two to three weeks. Trump further emphasized that a formal agreement with Tehran is not a necessary condition for ending hostilities. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed a willingness to de-escalate regional tensions if specific guarantees are met.
Japan’s Tankan Large Manufacturing Index rose for a fourth consecutive quarter to 17 in Q1 2026 from a revised 16, beating expectations and supporting the Bank of Japan’s (BoJ) stance of gradual rate hikes, potentially capping gains in Japanese equities.
In Hong Kong, all major sectors contributed to the rally, led by property, financials, and consumer stocks. However, gains could be partly limited after private survey data showed China’s RatingDog Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) eased to 50.8 in March from 52.1 in February, missing expectations of 51.6, amid rising energy costs.
South Korea’s Kospi surged on easing geopolitical tensions, with the rally further underpinned by strong external fundamentals. Exports jumped 48.3% year-over-year (YoY) to a record $86.1 billion in March, driven by robust semiconductor shipments, boosting confidence in the earnings outlook for the export-driven market.
Asian stocks FAQs
Asia contributes around 70% of global economic growth and hosts several key stock market indices. Among the region’s developed economies, the Japanese Nikkei – which represents 225 companies on the Tokyo stock exchange – and the South Korean Kospi stand out. China has three important indices: the Hong Kong Hang Seng, the Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Composite. As a big emerging economy, Indian equities are also catching the attention of investors, who increasingly invest in companies in the Sensex and Nifty indices.
Asia’s main economies are different, and each has specific sectors to pay attention to. Technology companies dominate in indices in Japan, South Korea, and increasingly, China. Financial services are leading stock markets such as Hong Kong or Singapore, considered key hubs for the sector. Manufacturing is also big in China and Japan, with a strong focus on automobile production or electronics. The growing middle class in countries like China and India is also giving more and more prominence to companies focused on retail and e-commerce.
Many different factors drive Asian stock market indices, but the main factor behind their performance is the aggregate results of the component companies revealed in their quarterly and annual earnings reports. The economic fundamentals of each country, as well as their central bank decisions or their government’s fiscal policies, are also important factors. More broadly, political stability, technological progress or the rule of law can also impact equity markets. The performance of US equity indices is also a factor as, more often than not, Asian markets take the lead from Wall Street stocks overnight. Finally, the broader risk sentiment in markets also plays a role as equities are considered a risky investment compared to other investment options such as fixed-income securities.
Investing in equities is risky by itself, but investing in Asian stocks comes along with region-specific risks to be taken into account. Asian countries have a wide range of political systems, from full democracies to dictatorships, so their political stability, transparency, rule of law or corporate governance requirements may diverge considerably. Geopolitical events such as trade disputes or territorial conflicts can lead to volatility in stock markets, as can natural disasters. Moreover, currency fluctuations can also have an impact on the valuation of Asian stock markets. This is particularly true in export-oriented economies, which tend to suffer from a stronger currency and benefit from a weaker one as their products become cheaper abroad.
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