Asian equity markets traded sharply higher on Thursday, 21 May 2026, with gains recorded across nearly every major index in the region as of 7:00 AM IST. The session was defined by strong upward momentum, with multiple benchmarks posting their most emphatic single-day advances in recent memory based on the price data available.
South Korea’s Kospi was the undisputed standout of the session, surging 448.53 points or 6.22% to close at 7,657.48 — touching its intraday high at the close. The index traded within a range of 7,486.37 to 7,657.48, suggesting buying pressure that built consistently through the session rather than fading into the close.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 was the second-strongest performer, advancing 2,142.06 points or 3.58% to settle at 61,946.47. The benchmark carved out a wide intraday range of 60,282.35 to 61,950.07, indicating considerable volatility before prices consolidated near the day’s peak. Taiwan’s Weighted Index also registered a compelling advance, rising 1,242.24 points or 3.10% to close at 41,263.06, having touched a high of 41,266.40 during the session.
Australia’s ASX 200 posted a more measured but still meaningful gain of 108.90 points or 1.28%, finishing at 8,605.50. The index traded between 8,496.60 and 8,640.90, reflecting steady buying through the day. China’s Shanghai Composite added 30.66 points or 0.74% to reach 4,162.19, the smallest percentage advance among the moving markets, though still firmly in positive territory within a range of 4,139.98 to 4,169.85.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was the lone exception to the regional rally, closing at 25,651.12 with no net change on the day — recording 0.00 points of movement. The index did see intraday activity, swinging between a low of 25,555.06 and a high of 25,713.53, before ultimately settling exactly flat.
With five of six major Asian indices closing in the green and the aggregate tone firmly positive, the broader regional picture heading into Thursday morning in India was one of widespread buying. For Nifty 50 traders, the positive Asian cues at 7:00 AM IST are often reflected in the opening direction of Indian markets when trading commences later in the morning.
Market data sourced from Yahoo Finance. Prices reflect closing/last traded values as of Thursday, 21 May 2026, 7:00 AM IST. Data may be delayed by approximately 5 minutes. This article is for informational purposes only.
