{"id":60951,"date":"2026-04-15T21:38:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T21:38:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:38:23","slug":"asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/","title":{"rendered":"Asia-Pacific Markets Rally on Peace Hopes and Tech Strength; Australia Inflation Expectations Surge"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/#Asia-Pacific_Markets_and_Tech-Led_Rally\" >Asia-Pacific Markets and Tech-Led Rally<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/#Australias_Labor_Market_and_Inflationary_Pressures\" >Australia\u2019s Labor Market and Inflationary Pressures<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/#Chinas_Persistent_Property_Slump\" >China\u2019s Persistent Property Slump<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/#Geopolitics_Commodities_and_Bond_Yields\" >Geopolitics, Commodities, and Bond Yields<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-pacific-markets-rally-on-peace-hopes-and-tech-strength-australia-inflation-expectations-surge\/60951\/#Corporate_Developments_and_Global_Strikes\" >Corporate Developments and Global Strikes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>South Korea\u2019s KOSPI leads regional gains, surging 1.8% to 6,201.24<\/strong> as technology strength and hopes for a Middle East ceasefire boost investor sentiment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Australia\u2019s inflation expectations jumped to 5.9% in April<\/strong>, complicating the outlook for the RBA despite a mixed jobs report showing a <strong>52.5K increase in full-time employment<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China\u2019s property sector remains in a downturn<\/strong>, with new home prices falling <strong>0.21% in March<\/strong> and year-over-year prices dropping <strong>3.4%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical risks keep crude oil prices above $90 a barrel<\/strong> as G7 finance chiefs gather in Washington to address the economic fallout from the Iran conflict.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Corporate restructuring and layoffs dominate headlines<\/strong>, with <strong>SKC (<a href=\"\/stock\/011790\">011790<\/a>)<\/strong> rallying 17% and the <strong>BBC<\/strong> announcing plans to cut <strong>10% of its workforce<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Asia-Pacific_Markets_and_Tech-Led_Rally\"><\/span>Asia-Pacific Markets and Tech-Led Rally<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Asia-Pacific equities traded higher on Thursday, tracking record highs on Wall Street fueled by <strong>robust technology sector performance<\/strong> and optimism regarding a potential diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East. South Korea\u2019s <strong>KOSPI (<a href=\"\/stock\/KOSPI\">KOSPI<\/a>)<\/strong> was a standout performer, gaining <strong>1.8% to reach 6,201.24<\/strong>. <em>Market participants are increasingly hopeful that a sustained ceasefire could stabilize global trade routes and ease inflationary pressures.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In the currency markets, the <strong>Chinese Yuan<\/strong> opened flat at <strong>6.8185 per USD<\/strong>, showing little movement from its previous close. Other Asian currencies appeared to be consolidating, with the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> reporting that regional forex markets may be buoyed by <strong>hopes for a possible U.S.-Iran deal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Australias_Labor_Market_and_Inflationary_Pressures\"><\/span>Australia\u2019s Labor Market and Inflationary Pressures<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Australia released a complex set of economic data for March, showing an <strong>employment change of 17.9K<\/strong>, slightly missing the estimated <strong>20.0K<\/strong>. While the headline figure was lower than the previous month&#39;s <strong>48.9K<\/strong>, the underlying data revealed a significant shift as <strong>full-time employment surged by 52.5K<\/strong>, offsetting a <strong>34.6K drop in part-time roles<\/strong>. The <strong>unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%<\/strong>, meeting market expectations.<\/p>\n<p>However, inflation concerns were reignited as <strong>Melbourne Institute (MI) Inflation Expectations<\/strong> for April climbed to <strong>5.9%<\/strong>, up from <strong>5.2%<\/strong> in the previous month. <em>This spike in consumer expectations may pressure the Reserve Bank of Australia to maintain a hawkish stance longer than previously anticipated.<\/em> The <strong>participation rate<\/strong> saw a marginal decline to <strong>66.8%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Chinas_Persistent_Property_Slump\"><\/span>China\u2019s Persistent Property Slump<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>China\u2019s real estate market continues to struggle despite ongoing support measures. <strong>New home prices fell 0.21% month-on-month in March<\/strong>, a slight improvement over the <strong>0.28% decline<\/strong> in February, while <strong>used home prices dropped 0.24%<\/strong>. On a year-over-year basis, <strong>house prices fell 3.4%<\/strong>, accelerating from the <strong>3.2% decline<\/strong> recorded in the prior period. <em>The data suggests that buyer confidence remains fragile amid broader economic uncertainty in the region.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitics_Commodities_and_Bond_Yields\"><\/span>Geopolitics, Commodities, and Bond Yields<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Global leaders are intensifying diplomatic efforts as <strong>G7 finance chiefs gather in Washington<\/strong> to discuss the economic consequences of the Iran war. Japan\u2019s Foreign Minister has reportedly urged Iran to uphold the ceasefire, calling it the &quot;most important&quot; priority for regional stability. Despite these peace hopes, <strong>crude oil prices remain elevated above $90 a barrel<\/strong>, reflecting a persistent risk premium.<\/p>\n<p>In the metals market, <strong>spot <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold-price.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">gold prices<\/a> rose nearly 1% to $4,837.09\/oz<\/strong>, continuing a historic bull run as investors seek safe-haven assets. Meanwhile, Japan\u2019s bond market saw yields climb across the curve; the <strong>40-year JGB yield increased to 3.845%<\/strong>, and the <strong>20-year yield rose to 3.270%<\/strong>. <em>The upward movement in yields reflects broader global trends and shifting expectations for Japanese monetary policy.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Corporate_Developments_and_Global_Strikes\"><\/span>Corporate Developments and Global Strikes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In South Korea, <strong>SKC (<a href=\"\/stock\/011790\">011790<\/a>)<\/strong> shares skyrocketed <strong>17%<\/strong>, leading gains in the chemical and materials sector. <strong>Hyundai Wia (<a href=\"\/stock\/011210\">011210<\/a>)<\/strong> also saw a significant <strong>7% gain<\/strong> following media reports that it may sell its defense unit to <strong>Hyundai Rotem (<a href=\"\/stock\/064350\">064350<\/a>)<\/strong>. In the media sector, the <strong>BBC<\/strong> announced it would lay off <strong>nearly 10% of its staff<\/strong> as it seeks to achieve <strong>\u00a3500 million in savings<\/strong> amid a shifting digital landscape.<\/p>\n<p>On the geopolitical front, the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate with <strong>Russian strikes on Kyiv and Dnipro<\/strong>. Kyiv Mayor Klitschko reported that a <strong>12-year-old was killed<\/strong> and ten others injured in recent strikes, while attacks in Dnipro hit residential homes, causing fires and further casualties. In South America, <strong>Chile\u2019s Kast<\/strong> has proposed a new bill aimed at reconstruction and job support, which includes a <strong>temporary VAT exemption on new housing<\/strong> and a reduction of <strong>corporate taxes from 27% to 23%<\/strong> over time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways South Korea\u2019s KOSPI leads regional gains, surging 1.8% to 6,201.24 as technology strength and hopes for a Middle [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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