March 17, 2026 (MLN): Asian markets rose on Tuesday, led by gains in technology and auto stocks, after Nvidia gave strong earnings guidance and announced new partnerships with regional automakers.
Investor sentiment was boosted after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicted that cumulative orders for next-generation Blackwell and Vera Rubin chips could reach an estimated $1 trillion by 2027, according to CNBC.
The declaration, made at the company’s annual developer conference, reinforced optimism about long-term demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
The region’s leading semiconductor manufacturers posted strong profits. SK Hynix’s stock price rose more than 3%, and Samsung Electronics also rose more than 4%. Meanwhile, Taiwan-based TSMC, the world’s largest contract semiconductor maker, rose about 1%.
Auto stocks also rose after Nvidia announced a partnership with major Asian automakers to accelerate autonomous driving efforts.
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. rose nearly 4.7%, while Japan’s Nissan Motor Co. and Isuzu posted modest gains.
Chinese electric vehicle giants also joined in the rally, with BYD up nearly 3% and Geely up about 5%.
Market participants continued to track geopolitical developments surrounding tensions related to the Iran conflict.
Oil prices rebounded from recent declines, with Brent crude rising 2.45% to $102.57 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rising 2.51% to $95.85.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has indicated that his next meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping may be postponed due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The visit was originally scheduled for late March.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, major indexes ended in positive territory. Australia’s S&P/Australian Securities Exchange 200 index rose 0.27%, its highest level since April 2025, on rising expectations that Australia’s central bank could raise interest rates to 4.1%.
Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.75%, while the overall TOPIX rose more than 1%. South Korea’s Kospi rose 2.94%, and the small-cap Kosdaq rose 1.53%.
In Greater China, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.94%, while mainland China’s CSI300 Index rose 0.28%.
US stock futures fell slightly following a strong rebound on Wall Street overnight. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures also fell slightly.
In pre-trade, US stocks closed higher as investors reacted to easing oil prices and improving risk sentiment. The Dow rose 0.83%, the S&P 500 rose 1.01% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.22%.
Tech stocks remained in focus, with Metaplatforms rising more than 2% after reports of possible layoffs, and Nvidia extending its gains following the start of the GTC conference.
Global markets are increasingly driven by the intersection of AI innovation and geopolitical developments.
Nvidia’s bullish outlook has reignited investor enthusiasm for the technology and auto sectors, but uncertainty surrounding energy markets and geopolitical tensions could continue to influence near-term market direction.
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