Asian Stocks in Best-Ever Start to a Year, Currencies Strengthen
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) signage on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, on Jan. 2
Photographer: Michael Nagle/BloombergAsian stocks are having their best-ever start to a year, with the region’s currencies and bonds also rallying as investors seek opportunities outside the US.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index is up around 4% in the four trading sessions of 2026, set for its strongest beginning in records going back to 1988, with South Korea and Taiwan leading the gains. A gauge of the region’s currencies has notched its best start since 2023, while dollar-based corporate debt has also rallied.