Asian markets showed resilience on Monday, November 9, 2026, recovering from a turbulent week driven by concerns over AI demand and regulatory risks. MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index outside Japan climbed 0.8%, while Japan’s Nikkei gained 2.5% and South Korean shares saw modest gains. Taiwan’s benchmark rebounded 2.5% after its worst weekly drop in two decades, sparked by fears over AI profitability and infrastructure demand following the US midterm elections.
US stock futures also edged higher, stabilizing after a chaotic week marked by heavy selling in AI-related stocks. Global markets had been unstable due to rising interest rates and regulatory uncertainties, which intensified after the midterm results. Earnings reports from tech firms like CoreWeave, Applied Materials, and Cisco Systems this week will test the financial viability of AI investments amid high build-out costs.
Additional volatility may stem from an internal investigation at Nvidia into CEO Jensen Huang’s alleged ties with a Chinese spy. Analyst Kyle Rodda of Capital.com cautioned that markets remain fragile, citing regulatory risks and underwhelming earnings from major tech companies. Meanwhile, Brent crude dipped to $97.49 per barrel after US President Donald Trump signaled no further attacks on Iran if peace talks progress.
The US dollar strengthened, with the dollar index reaching 102.2, supported by expectations of a December interest rate hike. A strong jobs report on November 6 and upcoming inflation data on November 10 have bolstered these expectations, with Fed hike bets nearing 80%. The euro held steady at $1.1148, while the yen gained 0.2% to 158.215. Cryptocurrencies declined, with Bitcoin dropping over 2% to $73,708 and Ether falling about 5% to $2,223, as investors anticipated stricter crypto regulations under a Democratic-controlled Congress.