EM Stocks Rise with Tech, Currencies Await US Inflation Data

Emerging market stocks rose on August 12, 2026, driven by a rally in Asian chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics Co., SK Hynix Inc., and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The MSCI benchmark for EM equities increased by 1.1% by 10:35 a.m. in London, with these three companies contributing the most to the advance.

The rally was fueled by upbeat results from AI infrastructure firms, which revived appetite for tech stocks. This trend is reflected in the performance of emerging-market currencies, which were mixed ahead of the publication of US inflation data later in the session.

The equivalent gauge for currencies edged 0.1% higher as the dollar declined against most major peers. South Africa's rand and Hungary's forint led gains, while Indonesia's rupiah and the South Korean won lagged.