06:44 AM EDT, 10/02/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets marched higher Thursday as tech shares jumped on outlooks for AI-generated demand for computer chips, after a partnership between South Korean tech enterprises, US-based OpenAI, and the South Korean government was disclosed.

Hong Kong and Tokyo finished in the green, as did other regional exchanges. Trading floors in mainland China remained closed on holiday.

In market news, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares jumped, and the Seoul KOSPI equity index struck an all-time zenith, after announcement of a deal between the tech giants and OpenAI to build ChatGPT Stargate-type data-centers in South Korea.

Shares in the tech-conglomerate Samsung closed up 3.5% in Seoul, while memory-chip maker SK Hynix shares gained 9.9%, helping to push the KOSPI up by 2.7%.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher on Wall Street cues, wobbled but finished up 0.9% as tech issues carried the benchmark index higher.

The Nikkei 225 rose 385.88 to 44,936.73 even as losing issues, including bank shares, outnumbered gainers 137 to 88.

Leading the upside was semiconductor-manufacturing equipment maker Disco, up nearly 12%, while utility Tokyo Electric Power fell 7.9%.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and rose to the close, finishing up 1.6% as shares joined the Asia-Pacific tech rally.

The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 431.56 to 27,287.12, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 60 to 25. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 3.4% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 3.1%.

Leading the upside was Semiconductor Manufacturing International, gaining 13%, while Longfor Properties declined 5.3%.

On the other regional exchanges, the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1.5%; the Australian ASX 200 rose 1.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index gained 1.7%, and the Thai Set advanced 1%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 0.9%.

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