05:41 AM EST, 02/24/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Asian stock markets tracked unevenly higher Tuesday, as some tech issues faded on AI-disruption concerns, while chip-makers gained.

Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the green, though Hong Kong lagged. New record highs on equity indices were set in Seoul and Taiwan on semiconductor-industry optimism.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened evenly after a three-day hiatus and rose to the close, finishing up 0.9% as tech shares were boosted. A softer yen lifted export shares.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 495.39 to 57,321.09, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 122 to 99.

Leading the upside was AI data center supplier Furukawa Electric, up 15%, while consultancy BayCurrent declined nearly 14%.

In economic news, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed concerns over further interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan, in meetings with its chief Kazuo Ueda, news outlets reported.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened lower could not recover, closing down 1.8% on tech-sector weakness, and concerns about AI-disruption across various industries.

The broad gauge Hang Seng fell 491.59 to 26,590.32, as losing issues outnumbered gainers 69 to 18. The Hang Seng TECH Index lost 2.1% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index fell 1.1%.

Leading the upside was pork-purveyor WH Group, up 4.4%, while Sino Biopharmaceutical declined 6.6%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.9% to 4,117.41, after having been shuttered since Feb. 13 on weekends and Lunar Year holidays.

On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 2.1%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 2.8%; the Australian ASX 200 was flat; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.4%, and the Thai Set inclined 0.7%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was down 1.1%.

The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index rose 0.5% on the day.

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