Asian stocks moved higher on Thursday after Nvidia reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results and issued revenue guidance above market forecasts, supporting confidence in continued demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and semiconductor components.
The broader Asia-Pacific market excluding Japan advanced for a third consecutive session. Nvidia shares rose 4.7% in after-hours US trading, while S&P 500 futures also moved higher following the results. Nvidia reported quarterly revenue of $96.2 billion and net income of $59.6 billion. Revenue came in above the consensus estimate of $92.2 billion, while the company guided for approximately $108 billion of revenue in the August to October quarter.
The results reinforced expectations that spending on AI computing infrastructure remains strong. Data centre revenue reached $89 billion, supported by demand for Nvidia’s Blackwell technology and preparations for its next-generation Vera Rubin platform. The figures have wider implications for Asian technology markets because Nvidia depends on a large network of semiconductor manufacturers, memory suppliers and equipment companies across the region. Continued expansion in AI infrastructure spending could support demand across that supply chain, although capacity constraints and rising costs remain important risks.
South Korean stocks were among the stronger performers. The KOSPI approached the 7,000 level during early trading before giving back part of its gains. SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics were in focus because of their exposure to high-bandwidth memory, a critical component in advanced AI systems. The KOSPI later traded around 1% higher after the Bank of Korea raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 3%. The rate decision adds another factor for the market to absorb as technology demand remains strong but financial conditions become tighter.
Memory supply remains one of the main issues facing the semiconductor sector. Nvidia indicated that supply constraints continue to restrict potential revenue, while conditions in the memory market remain tight. That can support pricing and demand for major suppliers, but higher input costs may also put pressure on margins elsewhere in the industry.
Japanese stocks also opened higher before giving back their early gains. The Nikkei rose by as much as 692 points before selling pressure emerged later in the session. Semiconductor-related companies including Tokyo Electron, Advantest and Ibiden attracted early buying as Nvidia’s results renewed attention on companies exposed to AI infrastructure spending.
Taiwanese stocks also advanced, with technology companies including TSMC and MediaTek among the names supported by the improved sector outlook. Taiwan remains central to the semiconductor manufacturing chain, making demand signals from Nvidia particularly relevant to companies exposed to advanced chip production.
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