Why it matters
- South Korea's Kospi fell 1.46% to 5,469.47 and Japan's Nikkei 225 0.80% to 62,189.65 on Monday, Oct. 26, Yahoo Finance data showed, as concerns about the payoff from heavy AI spending hit chip and tech stocks, Trading Economics said.
- Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.51% to 23,211.81 on gains in energy and consumer stocks, and the Shanghai Composite added 0.19%, while the Shenzhen Component fell 1.19%.
- Taiwan's stock exchange was closed for an "Adjusted Holiday" after Sunday's Taiwan Restoration Day, according to its 2026 holiday schedule. Investors are watching U.S. tech earnings and this week's Fed, ECB and Bank of Japan decisions.
Session recap: what happened in this region's trading day, with sources.
Asian stocks were mixed on Monday, Oct. 26, as worries about whether huge artificial intelligence spending will pay off weighed on chip and tech shares in Seoul and Tokyo, Trading Economics said. South Korea's Kospi fell 1.46% to 5,469.47 and Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 0.80% to 62,189.65, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.51% to 23,211.81, according to Yahoo Finance data. Taiwan's market was closed for a holiday.
| Market | Monday close | Change vs. Friday |
|---|---|---|
| Nikkei 225 (Japan) | 62,189.65 | −0.80% |
| Kospi (South Korea) | 5,469.47 | −1.46% |
| Hang Seng (Hong Kong) | 23,211.81 | +0.51% |
| Shanghai Composite (China) | 3,697.52 | +0.19% |
| Shenzhen Component (China) | 11,534.38 | −1.19% |
| S&P/ASX 200 (Australia) | 8,809.90* | +0.17% |
| Sensex (India) | 73,606.75 | +0.66% |
| Nifty 50 (India) | 22,753.20 | +0.68% |
| Taiex (Taiwan) | Closed | Holiday |
Source: Yahoo Finance one-month daily chart data; changes are from Friday, Oct. 23, closes. \Yahoo's Monday bar for the ASX 200 is its last price after the close, which matches the 8,810 close Trading Economics reported.*
Why did Asian stocks fall today?
Chip and tech stocks fell because investors doubt that massive AI spending can be sustained, and they are waiting for this week's earnings from major U.S. technology companies, Trading Economics said. In Tokyo, Advantest fell 3.9%, Tokyo Electron 3.7%, Ibiden 3.1%, Disco 1.8% and Kioxia 1.6%. Investors also stayed wary of possible renewed U.S. strikes on Iran after the U.S. midterm elections and of retaliation by Tehran, it said. The yen was at about 157.29 per dollar around 13:00 GMT, Yahoo Finance data showed, weaker than Friday.
In Seoul, investors turned cautious ahead of third-quarter results from SK hynix and Samsung Electronics, due Wednesday and Thursday, Trading Economics said. Rising oil prices, foreign selling and doubts about returns on AI investment also weighed. Samsung Electronics fell 0.46%, LG Energy Solution 1.44% and Hyundai Motor 1.69%, it said.
Why did Hong Kong stocks rise?
Energy stocks led the Hang Seng higher, with PetroChina up 4.1%, Sinopec 3.7% and CNOOC 2.1% in morning trading, Trading Economics said. Consumer names recovered after last week's sell-off, and Meituan rose 3.1% after proposing a yuan-denominated senior notes offering. Chip stocks and gold miners fell. Investors were cautious ahead of U.S. tech earnings, central bank decisions and China's Fifth Plenary Session, it said.
How did mainland China and Australia trade?
The Shanghai Composite rose 0.19% to 3,697.5, while the Shenzhen Component fell 1.19% to 11,534.4, Trading Economics said. AI-linked shares fell, including SMIC, down 1.28%, and Eoptolink Technology, down 3.57%. The Communist Party's Fifth Plenum runs Monday through Thursday, it said.
Australia's ASX 200 rose about 0.2% to 8,810, reversing early losses as stronger U.S. stock futures helped sentiment, Trading Economics said. BHP rose 0.9% and Santos 2.2%, and lithium miner PLS Group jumped 8.4%. Traders are looking ahead to September inflation data due later this week, it said.
Why was Taiwan's stock market closed?
Taiwan's market was shut on Monday, Oct. 26. The Taiwan Stock Exchange's 2026 holiday schedule lists Sunday, Oct. 25, as Taiwan Restoration Day and Monday, Oct. 26, as an "Adjusted Holiday." The last close in the exchange's daily Taiex history is 46,041.43, from Thursday, Oct. 22. Holiday closures around the world are covered in our guide to world market hours.
What comes next?
Europe's session is in our Europe Monday recap, and U.S. futures, oil and the week's Fed meeting are in our day-ahead guide. Friday's session is in our Asia Friday recap, and live levels are on the markets page.
Follow the rest of the trading day on our global market today page, with the latest Asia, Europe and Americas session recaps.
Sources
- Trading Economics, Japan stock market (Nikkei 225)
- Trading Economics, South Korea stock market (Kospi)
- Trading Economics, Hong Kong stock market (Hang Seng)
- Trading Economics, China stock market
- Trading Economics, Australia stock market (ASX 200)
- Taiwan Stock Exchange, 2026 holiday schedule and daily Taiex history for October 2026
- Yahoo Finance, one-month chart data for the Nikkei 225, Kospi, Hang Seng, Shanghai Composite, Shenzhen Component, S&P/ASX 200, Sensex, Nifty 50, Taiex and USD/JPY