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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedJuly 31, 2026United States

Global Markets Rebound as Tech Stocks Surge

Major Asian stock markets, led by South Korea's Kospi, saw significant gains on Friday following a recovery in artificial intelligence-related technology stocks. The rebound was fueled by strong earnings reports from Microsoft and signs of potential currency market intervention by Japanese authorities.

stock marketartificial intelligencecurrency exchangeinterest ratesoil prices
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Why It Matters

Investors and individuals with exposure to international technology stocks or currency markets may see significant fluctuations in portfolio value due to shifting sentiment regarding AI profitability and central bank interest rate policies.

Key Facts

  • South Korea's Kospi index rose 14% to 6,376.68 by midday Friday.
  • Samsung Electronics shares increased 21%; SK Hynix shares increased 24.6%.
  • Microsoft shares rose 15.5% following a strong quarterly earnings report.
  • Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 4.4% to 64,572.25.
  • The Japanese yen traded near 160 per dollar, prompting suspected coordinated currency intervention.
  • The Bank of Japan and the U.S. Federal Reserve both maintained current interest rates.
  • Brent crude oil prices fell 1.3% to $85.76 per barrel.
  • U.S. crude oil prices fell 1.5% to $82.32 per barrel.
  • Taiwan's Taiex index rose more than 7%.
  • Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.4% to 8,997.50.
  • Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.1% to 25,894.21.
  • Shanghai Composite index rose 0.6% to 3,828.00.
  • The S&P 500 closed at 7,437.63; the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 52,208.06; the Nasdaq closed at 25,122.18.

Who's Mentioned

organizationSK Hynix“Memory chipmaker”organizationTokyo Electron“Chip equipment maker”organizationSoftBank Group“Investment holding company and OpenAI investor”organizationSamsung Electronics“South Korean technology company”organizationFederal Reserve Bank of New York“Conducted a rate check on currency trades”otherKospi“South Korean stock market index”organizationBank of Japan“Central bank that kept interest rates unchanged”personSatsuki Katayama“Japanese Finance Minister”organizationMicrosoft“Technology company reporting strong quarterly profits”