Asia-Pacific technology stocks surged on Monday, buoyed by optimism that a new model from OpenAI will spur stronger demand for memory chips. The advance tracked Friday’s rally in US chipmakers and memory names, as sentiment toward the semiconductor sector improved. Broader equity markets, however, remained under pressure after robust US employment data reinforced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate increase this month.
Investor caution also persisted as oil prices extended their gains, following US and Iranian strikes on ships over the weekend that reignited inflation concerns. Technology‑heavy markets in Japan and South Korea led the regional move higher, with the Nikkei 225 and the KOSPI Composite climbing more than 2% and 3%, respectively.