Asian markets rise as South Korean stocks lead regional gains

August 04, 2026 (MLN): Asian stock markets opened in positive territory on Tuesday, with South Korean equities leading regional gains as improving investor sentiment on Wall Street and easing oil prices supported risk appetite.

South Korea's Kospi climbed 1.46%, while the small-cap Kosdaq surged 3%, making it the strongest-performing major market in the region. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.7%, while the broader Topix traded slightly above the flatline. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also edged higher by 0.15%.

The upbeat start in Asia followed a strong overnight session on Wall Street, where the major U.S. indexes rallied, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at a record high.

Technology shares remained in focus after Amazon's market capitalization surpassed the $3 trillion mark for the first time, while Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Microsoft also posted solid gains, according to CNBC.

Investor confidence was further supported by a sharp decline in oil prices after U.S. President Donald Trump stepped back from plans for additional military action against Iran. U.S. crude oil settled 5.1% lower at $80.34 per barrel, easing concerns over energy-driven inflation.

Market participants are now awaiting another busy round of corporate earnings, with Caterpillar and McDonald's scheduled to report before the U.S. market opens, while Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) will release its results after the closing bell.

On the economic front, investors will also monitor the release of U.S. June factory orders and international trade data for fresh clues on the health of the world's largest economy.

Copyright Mettis Link News