Asian markets rise as KOSPI leads ahead of US inflation, Nvidia

Asian stock markets closed higher on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with South Korea's KOSPI leading gains. Investors awaited U.S. inflation data and Nvidia's quarterly earnings. Japan's Nikkei rose 0.62% to 66,262.16, supported by lower U.S. Treasury yields and falling oil prices. China's Shanghai Composite gained 0.59% to 3,912.52, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.56% to 25,652.97. South Korea's KOSPI climbed 0.97% to 6,808.21, buoyed by reduced bond yields. Nvidia's results, due after the U.S. market close, were closely watched given its significant weighting in the S&P 500.