Tech leads shares higher in Asia as oil slips

Asian stock markets experienced a modest gain on Monday, driven by demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and decreased oil prices. Chipmakers benefited from the high demand for AI, while oil prices declined due to reports suggesting more oil was leaving the Middle East than initially estimated despite the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region.

Trading activity was subdued as Japan observed a holiday, and the U.S. dollar weakened to 156.67 yen, raising concerns about potential intervention by the Bank of Japan to support its currency. The yen surged following Japanese authorities' rate checks, according to the Nikkei newspaper.

Japan's Nikkei index, which was closed, saw a 0.5 percent increase in futures, while South Korea's tech-heavy index rose by 1.5 percent. The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.8 percent, and Chinese blue chips increased by 0.6 percent. In the U.S., S&P 500 futures climbed 0.4 percent, and Nasdaq futures added 0.6 percent.

In Europe, EUROSTOXX 50 and DAX futures both rose by 0.4 percent, while FTSE futures increased by 0.2 percent. Bond markets remained volatile after a sharp sell-off, with U.S. 2-year yields surging 36 basis points over the past two weeks, reaching 4.7604 percent, the highest level since mid-2024. Analysts at BofA noted that the Federal Reserve's hawkish guidance has led to a 56 percent chance of another rate hike in October and a near-certainty of a hike by year-end.

The Fed's tightening cycle is typically front-loaded, and it rarely stops after a single increase. The analysts maintained a forecast for just two more rate hikes, scheduled for October and December. The dollar strengthened to 156.67 yen, and investors awaited possible intervention by the Bank of Japan to stabilize its currency.