Asian chip stocks rose on Friday, lifting several regional markets even as broader Asia-Pacific trade remained mixed.
Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. rose 1.48% after the firm posted another record quarter, saying it expects capital spending to increase in 2026 to between $52 billion and $56 billion.
Taiwan’s weighted index rose 1.1%, making it the best-performing Asian market on Friday.
Investors across the region also tracked chip-related stocks after the US reached a trade deal with Taiwan. Under the agreement, Taiwanese semiconductor firms pledged to invest at least $250 billion in US manufacturing capacity in exchange for lower “reciprocal” tariffs.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.46%, extending Thursday’s losses, while the broader Topix fell 0.57%. Softbank Group, which has invested in various chip-related stocks, including chip designer Arm, rose 1.04%, SEEbiz reports. n
South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.92%, while small firm Kosdaq fell 0.59%. The large chip category, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, rose by 3.44% and 0.8%, respectively.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.31%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.68%, while the mainland’s CSI 300 added 0.57%. State-owned semiconductor firm SMIC rose 1.62%.
