South Korea Financial Markets
Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
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Asian shares are higher after U.S. stocks advanced, led by computer chip giant Nvidia. Markets in Greater China were closed for Lunar New Year holidays, while some others reopened for trading. U.S. futures edged lower early Thursday and oil prices rose. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%. The Nasdaq composite gained 0.8%. Nvidia was the strongest force lifting the market after Meta Platforms announced a deal to use millions of its chips in AI data centers. Treasury yields climbed following several reports on the U.S. economy that were stronger than economists expected.
