Asian chip stocks rally as Super Micro forecast boosts AI demand hopes

Asian chip and AI-related stocks rallied Wednesday after Super Micro Computer issued preliminary revenue guidance above expectations, easing investor concerns about AI infrastructure spending sustainability. South Korea's KOSPI jumped 4.6%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.7%. Super Micro forecast first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue of $18.5–19.5 billion, exceeding its prior $14.5–15.5 billion range and analyst estimates near $15 billion. The company also raised its gross margin outlook to 12–12.5%, citing a favorable customer and product mix. Shares rose about 12% in after-hours trading Tuesday. The guidance signals continued strong demand for AI computing systems, with Super Micro serving as a key indicator for data-center hardware. The rally follows last week's tech sell-off driven by rising bond yields and debt-financing concerns, including issues around cloud provider CoreWeave. Investors now await upcoming earnings to confirm sustainable revenue growth.