Global Market Today: Asian stocks advance on resurgent AI optimism

Asian equity markets rallied ahead of key tech company earnings reports and the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index climbed 0.6%, with key benchmarks in Australia, Japan, and South Korea experiencing gains. SK Hynix Inc.'s stock surged 2.6% following a report of operating profit surpassing estimates, as the firm plans to distribute a total of 100 trillion won ($75.4 billion) in shareholder returns by 2026.

Earlier, US chipmakers saw a 3.6% increase, contributing to Wall Street's upward momentum. Meta Platforms Inc. saw a $25 billion share sale that was five times oversubscribed, while Oracle Corp. expanded its partnership with OpenAI. The bullish mood was fueled by optimism around the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, as Alphabet Inc. and Microsoft Corp. were set to release earnings on Wednesday, and Amazon.com Inc. was scheduled to announce results on Thursday.

Global crude oil benchmark Brent stabilized as traders monitored the de-escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf. Treasury yields remained relatively unchanged in New York trading, with the dollar experiencing a slight uptick. The resurgence in AI optimism has been driven by a series of strategic deals and fundraising activities, including Meta's $98 billion capital raise, SpaceX's $40 billion equipment-finance lease, and Anthropic's S-1 filing.

This positive sentiment has provided reassurance to investors, suggesting that large-scale AI companies are likely to continue spending, even as smaller firms face challenges. In geopolitical developments, the Israeli election appeared to be heading towards a deadlock. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve was expected to maintain interest rates steady on Wednesday, giving policymakers time to deliberate on potential rate hikes in the future.

The relatively positive US consumer confidence data, which unexpectedly rose in October for the first time in four months, and a decline in oil prices had bolstered risk sentiment in the weeks leading up to a critical period of central bank decisions, including the Fed, the European Central Bank, and the Bank of Japan.