Asia Stocks Mixed as Samsung and TSMC Lift Tech; Singapore Hits Record High After RBA Holds Rates

Asian markets mixed Tuesday as KOSPI rose on Samsung’s 3.6%+ gain and TSMC’s 44.7% July sales jump. Singapore STI hit a record; RBA held rates at 4.35%. Oil and Hormuz risks weighed. Full figures and context.

Asian equities traded mixed on Tuesday as South Korea’s KOSPI climbed about 0.6–0.8% to around 6,338–6,348, led by Samsung Electronics’ roughly 3.6%–6% advance, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose more than 1% to a fresh record high. Investors digested the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to keep the cash rate at 4.35%, TSMC’s 44.7% year-on-year jump in July sales to a record NT$467.58 billion (about US$14.5 billion), and renewed uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s compensation demands. The broader MSCI AC Asia Pacific index was last up about 0.2%, with Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.3% and S&P 500 futures up 0.1%.

South Korea’s KOSPI Rises on Samsung Jump as TSMC Sales Surge 45%; Singapore STI Hits Record High

South Korea’s KOSPI rose 38.95 points, or 0.62%, to 6,338.61 (as of early GMT), with Samsung Electronics gaining 3.59% as semiconductor stocks strengthened; foreigners were net buyers of about 147.6 billion won. TSMC shares advanced roughly 0.4%–0.8% after the foundry reported July consolidated sales of NT$467.58 billion, up 44.7% from a year earlier and 5.6% from June, taking year-to-date sales through July to NT$2.87 trillion, up 37%. The company has guided for slightly more than 40% full-year 2026 revenue growth in U.S. dollar terms and raised capital expenditure plans to US$60–64 billion.

Singapore’s FTSE Straits Times Index rose over 1% to a record high, supported by OCBC’s stronger-than-expected results a day earlier; the index had recently closed near 5,698 and earlier set an all-time high of 5,713.19. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained about 0.3%–0.4% after the RBA unanimously left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35%, stating inflation remains too high while economic activity is slowing.

Chinese markets were subdued: the CSI 300 fell about 0.2% and the Shanghai Composite was little changed, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped around 0.6%–0.7%. India’s Nifty 50 fell 0.6%. Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite slipped nearly 1% even as President Prabowo Subianto nominated Destry Damayanti as the sole candidate for Bank Indonesia governor. Nvidia announced partnerships with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs and KKR to create compute-financing platforms aimed at mobilizing more than US$500 billion in third-party capital for AI infrastructure.

Asian Markets Gain on 45% TSMC Sales Growth as RBA Holds 4.35% 

Semiconductor strength provided the main lift. TSMC’s record July sales and upward guidance reinforced evidence of robust AI-related demand for advanced process nodes, supporting sentiment toward Samsung and the broader regional tech complex after a sharp valuation reassessment the prior week. Singapore’s record was driven by solid bank earnings, particularly OCBC, which boosted confidence in the financials-heavy STI.

The RBA’s hold at 4.35% was widely expected; the central bank noted that three rate increases earlier in the year have tightened conditions and that the economy is slowing as anticipated, yet inflation remains elevated and is not projected to return to the midpoint of the 2–3% target until late 2027, with upside risks still present. This removed an immediate policy overhang for Australian assets.

Offsetting factors included higher oil prices linked to Strait of Hormuz uncertainty after Trump’s rejection of Iranian compensation demands as part of any peace deal, which dimmed hopes of a swift reopening of the waterway. Attention also focused on Wednesday’s U.S. CPI report, where headline inflation is expected to rise 0.1% in July after a 0.4% decline in June; a firmer reading could revive concerns that the Federal Reserve may keep rates higher for longer.

Asian Markets Rise on AI-Driven Chip Demand, 4.35% RBA Rate Hold and Strong Bank Gains 

Asian markets have been navigating a mix of strong AI demand and macroeconomic caution. TSMC’s sales data continue a pattern of elevated growth driven by high-performance computing and AI accelerators; the company had already raised its 2026 revenue outlook and capex plans earlier in the year. Samsung’s move came after a period of pressure on Korean chip shares.

The RBA has raised the cash rate three times since the start of 2026 to reverse earlier easing, citing capacity pressures and the inflationary impact of the Middle East conflict on energy prices. Trimmed-mean inflation remains above target. In Singapore, the STI’s multi-month rally has been powered largely by the three local banks (DBS, OCBC, UOB), which together account for a large share of index weight and have delivered strong total returns amid resilient loan growth and fee income even as net interest margins face pressure.

Geopolitical risk around the Strait of Hormuz has kept oil prices elevated and added to inflation concerns regionally. Indonesia’s nomination of Destry Damayanti, the senior deputy governor serving as acting governor after Perry Warjiyo’s unexpected resignation, is viewed by analysts as supporting policy continuity; parliament is expected to confirm her following a fit-and-proper test, potentially around the August 19 policy meeting.

Markets Eye U.S. July CPI, Oil Prices and AI Earnings as Key Risk Signals 

Markets will focus on Wednesday’s U.S. July CPI release, which could influence Federal Reserve rate-path expectations. Further updates on Strait of Hormuz negotiations and oil prices will remain key for risk sentiment. Corporate earnings, particularly from semiconductor and AI-linked firms, and any additional details on Nvidia’s compute-financing platforms will be watched for confirmation of AI demand durability.

In Australia, attention turns to how the RBA’s restrictive stance transmits to activity and inflation data. Indonesia’s parliamentary confirmation process for the Bank Indonesia governor and the central bank’s next policy meeting will be monitored for continuity signals. Analysts note that earnings-season surprises could still test support levels on indexes such as the ASX 200 near 9,000.