Market Wrap: Asian Shares Hit Record Highs as Metals Surge

Asian equities climbed to unprecedented levels today, driven by a record-breaking rally in Japan and a broader surge in global markets fueled by AI investment optimism. Meanwhile, the commodities market witnessed a massive rally led by precious metals.

1. Asian Markets & The Yen

• Japan’s Nikkei 225: Led the region with a 1.6% jump, hitting an all-time high. This was triggered by reports that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is planning a snap election.

• The Yen: Under pressure from political uncertainty, the Japanese currency weakened past 159 per dollar, its lowest point since July 2024.

• South Korea: Shares continued their winning streak, having gained every single trading day so far in 2026.

2. Historic Commodities Rally

Safe-haven demand and supply concerns have pushed metals to new heights:

• Silver: Broke the $90-an-ounce barrier for the first time in history.

• Gold: Trading near record highs at $4,623. Citi analysts have upgraded their price targets to $5,000/oz for gold and $100/oz for silver within the next three months.

• Industrial Metals: Both Tin and Copper rallied to hit new record highs.

3. US Political & Legal Tensions

Global investors are closely watching Washington for several key developments:

• Tariff Ruling: Markets are awaiting a US Supreme Court decision regarding President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. Fund managers warn that even if revoked, the global trade landscape has fundamentally changed.

• Federal Reserve Independence: The prospect of a criminal indictment against Fed Chair Jerome Powell has raised serious concerns about the independence of US monetary policy.

• Geopolitics: Tensions remain high following Trump’s capture of Venezuela’s leader, renewed threats toward Greenland, and ongoing unrest in Iran.

Corporate Highlights

• Nvidia: The Trump administration is moving toward allowing Nvidia to ship its advanced H200 AI chips to China under revised government criteria.

• Netflix: Reports suggest the streaming giant is considering an all-cash offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming business.

• Crypto: Bitcoin rose 1.5% to $95,487, while Ether jumped nearly 4% to $3,329.

Market Snapshots (at 12:36 p.m. Tokyo time)

admin

See Full Bio