Asian equities posted modest gains, led by technology and chip stocks, while Chinese indices slipped 0.7‑0.8% ahead of the Trump‑Xi summit.
Alibaba surged 5% (total +3.84%) after announcing increased AI investment over the next three years, offsetting weak Q4 earnings.
Regional markets were influenced by Wall Street’s record highs, S&P 500 futures up 0.1%, and concerns over Iran war‑related inflation and oil prices.
South Korea and Japan indexes rose ~0.2%, whereas Australia’s ASX fell 0.1% for a fifth straight session.