Technology Stocks Rebound as Asian Markets Open Higher

Asian-Pacific stock markets opened higher on Wednesday (21 October 2026), with South Korean shares leading gains amid a rebound in the technology sector.

The positive sentiment followed renewed optimism over SpaceX’s latest quarterly results, which boosted investor interest in investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

According to CNBC International, South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.8%, recovering some of Tuesday’s losses, while the small-cap-heavy Kosdaq jumped more than 2%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 1.4% and the Topix rose 0.93%, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was little changed.

Asian technology shares broadly rebounded after a sharp sell-off had weighed on the sector. Optimism over SpaceX’s quarterly performance also improved investor sentiment towards the outlook for AI infrastructure investment, including specialist cloud-computing providers known as neoclouds.

In South Korea, memory-chip maker SK Hynix surged 6.38%, while Samsung Electronics gained 5.03%. The gains came as technology stocks recovered from the selling pressure that had previously weighed on the sector.

Elice, a South Korean AI infrastructure company, soared 29.92% after plunging more than 30% on its trading debut on Tuesday. The reversal followed a disappointing debut that fuelled investor concerns about whether AI infrastructure companies can turn heavy spending into sustainable profits.

Japanese semiconductor stocks also rose as sentiment towards the technology sector recovered. Advantest, a chip-testing equipment maker, gained 5.31%, while Tokyo Electron rose 3.02% and SoftBank Group jumped 4.70%.

Dan Ives, a technology analyst at Wedbush Securities, said SpaceX’s quarterly results sent a positive signal for AI computing infrastructure providers worldwide. He also said South Korean stocks had fallen too far.

“SpaceX’s quarterly performance has made global investors bullish, and I think Korean stocks have corrected too deeply,” Ives said.

His comments reflect hopes that AI-related business developments could renew investor interest in technology shares, despite persistent concerns about the profitability of investment in AI infrastructure.