SK Hynix, Samsung gain as Asian stocks climb after tech powers Wall Street

Asian stocks climbed in early trading on Monday, September 21, as heavyweight technology shares mirrored gains on Wall Street, buoyed by optimism surrounding Meta Platforms' new artificial intelligence agent. The MSCI gauge of Asian shares increased by 0.5 percent, with memory chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leading the market gains.

The South Korean benchmark Kospi Index surged more than 2 percent. US stock market indexes, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, recorded their strongest days since early August. US semiconductor stocks saw a boost, with an index soaring over 4 percent on Monday, as early success for Meta's AI agent reignited investor interest in the sector.

Meta's stock rose 11 percent, while Advanced Micro Devices crossed the $1 trillion market value threshold; the Nasdaq 100 gained 2.8 percent. Brent oil prices held steady around $100 a barrel after falling 3.4 percent on Monday, as Middle East supply concerns eased and traders monitored potential progress in ending the US-Iran conflict.

The possibility of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during upcoming talks was viewed positively, with officials expressing optimism about discussions on AI, trade, and investment.