Asia Markets Hit Record Highs Amid AI Surge and Middle East De-escalation 📈

• Global Market Impact: Asian shares outside Japan jumped 2.3% to record highs, led by a 5.1% surge in South Korea's Kospi. Wall Street also hit fresh peaks with the S&P 500 rising 0.8%, driven by a massive rotation into tech and semiconductors. • Energy & Commodities: Brent crude fell 1.2% to US$ 108.51 per barrel following news of a pause in the Strait of Hormuz blockade and progress toward a U.S.-Iran agreement. Gold rose 1.2% to US$ 4,609.59. • Tech & AI Sector: South Korea’s Samsung Electronics surged 12%, surpassing a US$ 1 Tn market value. Demand for AI infrastructure continues to drive record earnings for Asian providers of hardware and industrial materials. • Currency & Forex: The U.S. Dollar index dipped 0.1% to 98.236 as risk appetite improved. The Australian dollar hit its highest level since 2022, while the Euro and Sterling both gained approximately 0.3%. • Economic Context: Easing energy tensions and heavy capex spend in the ICT/tech hardware ecosystem are creating significant value across Asian supply chains, providing a favorable tailwind for regional trade and materials exports.