Asia markets edge higher on AI-led global rally

December 23, 2025 (MLN): Asia markets mostly traded higher on Tuesday, tracking gains on Wall Street overnight, where technology and artificial intelligence-linked shares provided fresh momentum.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 climbed 1.11%, extending its rally to a fourth consecutive session and showing broad-based buying across sectors.

Japanese equities showed mixed performance. 

The Nikkei 225 hovered near the flatline, while the broader Topix index advanced 0.56%, supported by gains in financial and healthcare stocks, according to CNBC.  

Meanwhile, currency developments remained in focus after Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said the government retained flexibility in addressing the yen’s recent weakness, keeping the possibility of market intervention open.

The yen had fallen sharply on Friday despite the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hike to its highest level in three decades, touching 157.77 per dollar. 

It recovered modestly in subsequent sessions and was last seen trading around 156.27. Katayama described recent currency moves as speculative and disconnected from economic fundamentals.

South Korean markets also posted a mixed close. The benchmark Kospi rose 0.43%, while the tech-heavy Kosdaq declined 0.79%. 

Shares of shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean surged 10% after U.S. President Donald Trump said the company would collaborate with the U.S. Navy on new frigate construction.

In Greater China, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged up 0.1%, and mainland China’s CSI 300 gained 0.35%. 

Newly listed companies drew strong investor interest in Hong Kong, with QingSong Health Corporation and Nuobikan Artificial Intelligence Technology soaring 134% and 323%, respectively, on their trading debut. 

QingSong Health’s IPO attracted massive demand, with its retail tranche subscribed more than 1,400 times, raising nearly HK$602m. 

Nuobikan’s public offering was subscribed nearly 189 times, securing HK$303 million.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, attention turned to Singapore, which is set to release its November inflation data.

Overnight in the United States, equities closed higher for a third straight session. 

The S&P 500 added 0.64%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.47%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.52%, reinforcing positive global market sentiment.

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