What is Asia Markets?
Asia spans developed (Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia) and emerging (China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines) markets. Together they represent over half of global population and a growing share of global GDP and market cap. Time-zone considerations mean Asian markets often set the tone for European and US sessions.
Why it matters for investors
Asia drives a significant portion of global growth, manufacturing capacity, and increasingly, technology innovation (semiconductors in Taiwan/Korea, fintech in China/India, EVs in China). Geopolitical tensions (US-China, Korean peninsula, Taiwan Strait, India-China border) add risk premium.