Stocks mostly rose at the start of the Asia-Pacific trading session on Thursday as Nvidia's latest earnings beat estimates, lifting tech hardware manufacturers and reviving investor ⁠confidence after data overnight showed that the US Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure is still running hot.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index opened up 121 points, or 0.48 percent, at 25,774 but soon lost ground to be 11 points, or 0.43 percent, down at 25,541.

The tech index was 39 points, or 0.85 percent, higher at 4,665 while the China enterprises index rose 39 points, or 0.47 percent, to 8,573.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index dipped less than one point to 3,911.

The Shenzhen Component Index was 35 points, or 0.26 percent, up at 13,876 while the ChiNext Index was higher by 23 points, or 0.67 percent, at 3,437.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei opened 513 points, or 0.78 percent, higher at 66,775 but lost ground just before lunch to be 45 points down at 66,216.

In Seoul, the Kospi surged 187 points, or 2.76 percent, up to 6,996 in opening trading for the day but shed gains to be 133 points, or 1.97 percent, higher at 6,942.

The gains came after after Nvidia reported that its quarterly revenue more than doubled and forecast third-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates.

The AI chipmaker's shares jumped 4.7 percent in after-hours trading.

"The business is in absolutely rude health," said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group in Melbourne.

"It's going to wake people up and think 'what have ⁠I missed?' It's a really bullish story and anyone supplying Nvidia through the supply chain ⁠will likely see the benefit ⁠today."

"July core personal consumption expenditure inflation appeared broadly in line with expectations, but ⁠the details were firmer," analysts from Societe Generale wrote.

"The inflation backdrop therefore looks somewhat firmer heading into the September US Federal Open Market Committee meeting."

The yield on the US 10-year Treasury bond was down 1.5 basis points at 4.647 percent as markets awaited Fed chair Kevin Warsh's speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday for further clues on the path for US interest rates.

Brent crude was down 0.7 percent at US$87.20, with the benchmark on track to fall for a fourth consecutive day as Qatar's prime minister prepares to visit Tehran on Thursday in an effort to relaunch peace talks between the United States and Iran.

"Crude ⁠oil prices continued to gradually ease despite a still highly uncertain outlook around management of the Strait of Hormuz and the current health of global oil supply," Westpac analysts wrote. (Reuters/Xinhua)


Edited by Tony Sabine