Asia markets rebound Kospi leads regional gains

March 05, 2026 (MLN): Asian markets advanced on Thursday, rebounding from recent losses as easing oil price concerns and gains on Wall Street improved investor sentiment across the region.

South Korea led the rally, with the benchmark KOSPI soaring as much as 12% during the session before trimming gains to trade nearly 10% higher, according to LSEG data, as reported by CNBC.

The sharp recovery came a day after the index suffered its worst-ever single-day decline of around 12%.

Technology heavyweights drove the rebound. Semiconductor giants SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics jumped more than 15% and 14%, respectively, providing strong support to the benchmark.

Together, the two companies account for a significant portion of the KOSPI’s weighting.

The broader market also gained momentum, with the small-cap KOSDAQ index rising more than 11%.

The strong rally briefly triggered trading halts on both indices by the Korea Exchange to curb volatility.

Concerns over rising crude oil prices linked to geopolitical tensions had earlier pressured markets. Raisah Rasid, global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, said South Korea’s heavy dependence on imported oil made investors particularly sensitive to potential spikes in energy costs.

However, sentiment improved after oil prices stabilized and risk appetite returned to the market.

Other Asia-Pacific markets also posted gains. Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed about 2.7% after falling in the previous session. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose more than 1%, while China’s CSI 300 Index advanced 0.86%. Taiwan’s TAIEX jumped more than 4%.

Investor sentiment was also supported by overnight gains in the United States. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.49% to close at 48,739.41, ending a three-day losing streak.

The S&P 500 gained 0.78% to finish at 6,869.50, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.29% to 22,807.48.

Semiconductor stocks led the gains on Wall Street as well. Micron Technology and Advanced Micro Devices each surged more than 5%, while Broadcom and Nvidia also recorded solid gains.

Meanwhile, investors are closely monitoring China’s annual policy gathering known as the Two Sessions.

During the meeting, Beijing set its economic growth target for 2026 at between 4.5% and 5%, marked one of the lowest growth goals in decades as policymakers confront persistent deflationary pressures and ongoing trade tensions with the United States.

Despite Thursday’s rebound, analysts warn that global markets may remain volatile in the near term as geopolitical tensions and energy market uncertainties continue to influence investor sentiment.

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