In what is shaping up to be another blockbuster year, Asia’s markets are outpacing peers in the U.S. and Europe, drawing global investors as extreme swings rattle assets from tech stocks to metals.
Most equity benchmarks in the region have risen in 2026, currencies have shown resilience against external pressures, and demand for credit has pushed spreads to near record lows. While it’s still early days, and Asia hasn’t been immune to the global volatility, the region has several forces working in its favor.
Its biggest tech firms are cementing their indispensability to the artificial intelligence supply chain, while countries from South Korea to Japan are taking steps to boost shareholder returns. A robust economic backdrop — reinforced by a weakening dollar — is adding to the allure, with the International Monetary Fund projecting that Asia will contribute around 60% of global growth this year.
