Asian Markets Mixed as Investors Weigh Nvidia CEO Resignation and Oil Prices

Asian stock markets traded in mixed territory on Friday while investors evaluated the implications of Jensen Huang's resignation as chief executive officer of Nvidia. The semiconductor giant, a central driver of the global artificial intelligence sector, saw its shares drop more than 4 percent in U.S. trading following the announcement. U.S. stock futures edged higher on Friday, recovering from earlier losses on Wall Street where the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq composite all fell by 0.4 percent on Thursday.

The resignation, announced Thursday, follows Huang's personal scandal that raised U.S. national security concerns. Colette Kress, Nvidia's longtime chief financial officer, has assumed the role of interim CEO. Huang, who co-founded the company, was widely regarded as the public face of the AI boom and a key architect of Nvidia's strategy. His departure has prompted reassessments of the pace for AI infrastructure development, a sector where many Asian hardware manufacturers hold heavy exposure.

Regional indices reflected varied responses to the news. Japan's Nikkei 225 index gained 0.8 percent to close at 61,283.16, with chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron up 1.5 percent. In contrast, South Korea's Kospi index declined 0.5 percent to 5,317.05. Samsung Electronics fell 0.7 percent, and memory chipmaker SK Hynix dropped 2 percent. SoftBank Group, an investor in OpenAI, lost 5.2 percent of its value.

Taiwan's Taiex index rose 1.7 percent, led by a 0.9 percent gain in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. In mainland Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.9 percent to 23,786.48, while the Shanghai Composite index increased 0.2 percent to 3,663.71. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.7 percent to 9,084.80, and India's Sensex index dropped 0.2 percent.

Energy prices also influenced market sentiment. President Donald Trump stated on social media that the United States did not need a deal with Iran, noting that the country had "their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we've got their Strait!" This comment followed ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Brent crude, the international standard, settled at $95.70 per barrel, down 0.1 percent. U.S. benchmark crude fell 0.4 percent to $88.41 per barrel. These prices remain well above the $72 per barrel level seen in late February before the Iran war began.

Currency markets showed slight shifts in line with risk appetite. The U.S. dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, rising to 159.91 from 159.84. The euro gained marginally to $1.1059 from $1.1055. AMD, a key rival to Nvidia, saw its shares rise 5.9 percent on Thursday, suggesting investors are reallocating their positions within the AI hardware space.

Market watchers are monitoring how the interim leadership at Nvidia will manage the company's AI roadmap during this transition period. The stability of oil prices and the direction of U.S. stock futures will continue to shape trading in Asian markets through the week.