Asian technology stocks advanced sharply on Thursday, February 26, after better-than-expected earnings from Nvidia eased fears that the artificial intelligence boom was losing steam. The chip giant’s robust performance reassured investors that global demand for AI infrastructure, particularly data center hardware, remains firmly intact.
South Korean Chip Giants Lead the Rally
Shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix climbed in early trading, reflecting renewed confidence in the semiconductor supply chain.
SK Hynix, a major supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) critical for AI computing, gained more than 2%. Samsung Electronics, a long-standing Nvidia partner, surged around 5% as investors priced in sustained chip demand tied to AI servers and cloud infrastructure.
The rally extended beyond memory makers. LG Innotek jumped nearly 14%, while Seoul Semiconductor soared 13%, highlighting broad-based strength across South Korea’s tech ecosystem.
Japan’s AI-Linked Stocks Gain Momentum
In Japan, the TOPIX Information & Communication index rose 2.6%, building on the previous session’s gains.
Key movers included:
- Trend Micro, up nearly 6%
- Sony Group, rising over 3%
- SoftBank Group, gaining about 5%
Market strategists noted that capital flows are increasingly favoring companies exposed to AI infrastructure and next-generation semiconductors. Fuji Electric, known for its exposure to gallium nitride and silicon carbide technologies used in power-efficient data centers, also moved higher.
Nvidia’s Blowout Quarter Reassures Markets
Nvidia reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $68.13 billion, up 73% year-over-year and comfortably above market expectations of $66.21 billion. More than 90% of the company’s revenue now comes from its data center segment, home to its industry-leading AI chips.
The results signal that global AI spending, particularly on server infrastructure, remains strong despite recent concerns about oversupply or slowing adoption. Investors interpreted the numbers as evidence that hyperscalers and enterprises are still aggressively expanding AI capabilities.
There are also reports that Nvidia is in discussions to invest roughly $20 billion in OpenAI, underscoring deepening ties between leading AI chipmakers and AI model developers amid intensifying global competition.
Mixed Signals Among Japanese Chipmakers
Not all semiconductor stocks joined the rally. Shares of Advantest and Renesas Electronics slipped modestly, reflecting selective positioning within the sector.
Still, analysts suggest that semiconductor infrastructure, particularly companies tied to data center expansion, remains the preferred trade over software names in the current cycle.
AI Infrastructure Still in Focus
The latest earnings from Nvidia have reinforced the narrative that AI-driven demand is far from fading. For Asian markets, especially chip-heavy economies like South Korea and Japan, continued data center expansion could provide a sustained tailwind.
As investors rotate back into semiconductor and AI supply chain stocks, Asia’s tech sector appears poised to remain at the center of the global AI growth story.
