Last week was as consequential as advertised. The RBA hiked, the Fed held, and markets barely had time to process any of it before reports emerged that Israel had struck Iran's South Pars gas field.

The week ahead brings fewer central bank decisions, but it may be just as important for markets. Flash PMIs will offer the first broad read on whether the war is already showing up in business confidence. Australia's February CPI is the domestic data point that matters most for the RBA's next move. And the oil market remains the dominant macro variable.

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Quick facts

• Brent crude spiked above $110 per barrel after Israel struck Iran's South Pars gas field for the first time.
• Flash PMIs for Australia, Japan, the eurozone, UK, and the US all land Tuesday.
• Australia's February CPI lands Wednesday, the first inflation read since the back-to-back RBA hikes.

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Oil: From crisis to emergency

The oil situation deteriorated significantly last week. Brent crude has now surged roughly 80% since the war began on 28 February. 

The 18 March strike on Iran's South Pars gas field was the first time upstream oil and gas infrastructure has been targeted.

Iran responded to the strike by threatening to target facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. If any of these threats are executed, the global oil shock would escalate from a supply disruption to a direct attack on the region's production capacity.

Analysts are now saying $150 Brent is achievable and $200 is not outside the realm of possibility. The 1970s Arab oil embargo resulted in a quadrupling of prices, and the current shock is already being described in those terms by senior energy executives.

For markets this week, oil is the dominant variable. Any signal of ceasefire, diplomatic progress or resumed Hormuz shipping could likely trigger a correction in oil prices. Any Iranian strike on Gulf infrastructure could send them higher.

Monitor

• Daily vessel transit numbers through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iranian retaliation against Gulf infrastructure, a strike on Saudi or UAE facilities would be a major escalation.
• When and how American and European IEA reserves reach the market.
• Qatar's South Pars disruption is affecting the European LNG market.
• Trump statements that could cause intraday oil price movement.

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Global Flash PMIs: The first read on an economy at war

Tuesday delivers the S&P Global flash PMI estimates for March across every major economy simultaneously.

This will be the first data set to capture how manufacturers and services firms are responding to $100+ oil, the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and the broader uncertainty created by the war in the Middle East.

The key question for each economy is whether the oil price surge and war uncertainty have dented business confidence, suppressed new orders or pushed input price indices to new multi-year highs. 

Given that oil crossed $100 before the survey window closed for most economies, input cost readings could be significantly elevated.

Key dates

• S&P Global Flash Australia PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 9:00 am AEDT
• S&P Global Flash Japan PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 11:30 am AEDT
• HSBC Flash India PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 4:00 pm AEDT
• HCOB Flash France PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 7:15 pm AEDT
• HCOB Flash Germany PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 7:30 pm AEDT
• HCOB Flash Eurozone PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 8:00 pm AEDT
• S&P Global Flash UK PMI: Tuesday 24 March, 8:30 pm AEDT
• S&P Global Flash US PMI: Wednesday 25 March, 12:45 am AEDT

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Monitor

• Input price components for any multi-year highs across manufacturing and services.
• Business confidence indices for how much the war shock has dented forward expectations.
• New orders as an indicator for future output; a sharp fall could signal demand destruction is underway.
• US composite PMI: already the weakest of major economies in February, another soft reading could raise growth alarm bells.

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Hormuz crisis explained

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Australia: Is another hike coming?

The RBA hiked for the second meeting in a row on 17 March, lifting the cash rate to 4.10% in a narrow 5-4 vote. 

Governor Bullock described it as a "very active discussion" where the direction of policy was not in question, only the timing. 

This week will see the release of February's CPI as the first read to capture any of the oil shock. The trimmed mean, which strips out volatile items including fuel, will be the number the RBA watches most closely. A reading above 3.5% could cement the case for a May hike. A softer result could revive the argument for a pause.

ANZ and NAB have both stated expectations of a third hike in May, taking the cash rate to 4.35%.

Key dates

• ABS Consumer Price Index (CPI): Wednesday 25 March, 11:30 am AEDT

Monitor

• Trimmed mean inflation as the RBA's preferred measure.
• Fuel and energy components that could separate the oil shock from domestic price pressure.
• Housing and services inflation as sticky components driving the RBA's long-run concern.

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Asia dominates the global semiconductor supply. Five companies, spanning Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, sit at the critical juncture of the AI buildout, controlling everything from fabrication to the equipment that makes chips possible. 

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Quick facts

• TSMC delivered $90 billion in revenue in 2024, with a 59% gross margin and shares up 55% in 2025.
• Advantest shares doubled (+102%) in 2025 as AI-driven chip testing demand surged.
• SK Hynix is Nvidia's primary HBM supplier, positioning it at the centre of the AI accelerator boom.

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1. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM)

TSMC is the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, producing advanced semiconductors for Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm. As a pure-play foundry, it leads in 5-nanometer (5nm) and 3- nanometer (3nm) chip production, with smaller nodes in development.

The company posted $90 billion in revenue for 2024 with a 59% gross margin and 36% return on equity. 

Shares delivered a total return of 55% in 2025, with analysts forecasting a further ~30% revenue increase in 2026, underpinned by its $100 billion US expansion programme.

The key risk for the company is its geopolitical exposure, with Taiwan Strait tensions remaining the sector's most-watched tail risk.

What to watch

• US expansion progress: Any delays, cost blowouts, or political friction concerning TSMC's $100 billion Arizona investment could weigh on sentiment.
• Customer order visibility: Watch for any guidance updates from Apple, Nvidia, or AMD on chip orders, as TSMC's revenue is highly concentrated among a handful of clients.
• Geopolitical developments: Any escalation of Taiwan Strait tensions could trigger sharp moves regardless of fundamentals.
• Next-node ramp: Progress on 2nm production and yield rates will be a key signal for TSMC's ability to maintain its technology lead.

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2. Samsung Electronics (KR:005930)

Samsung is one of the few companies globally that both designs and fabricates chips at scale. It competes across DRAM, NAND flash, and logic chip segments, and remains a core supplier to global tech giants.

Samsung's wide scope is a strength, but also a complexity. Its memory division faces margin pressure from inventory cycles, while its foundry business continues to lag TSMC in leading-edge yields. 

The AI-driven memory boom may provide a tailwind, though execution in HBM production has been slower than local rival SK Hynix.

What to watch

• HBM qualification progress: Samsung has been working to qualify its HBM3E chips with Nvidia. Any confirmation of a major supply win could be a meaningful catalyst.
• Memory pricing trends: DRAM and NAND spot prices could be an indicator of Samsung's margin trajectory.
• Foundry yield improvements: Samsung's logic foundry business has struggled with yields at advanced nodes; any credible progress here could re-rate the division.
• Management guidance: Following a period of earnings volatility, clarity on capex plans and divisional targets at upcoming results will be closely watched.

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3. Advantest (ATEYY)

Tokyo-based Advantest makes testing equipment used to verify chips meet performance and quality standards. 

It supplies to Samsung, Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments, allowing it to benefit from chip industry growth broadly, regardless of which foundry wins market share.

Advantest shares doubled in 2025 (+102%), and it raised its sales forecast by 21.8% and earnings forecast by 70.6% for the year ending March 2026.

What to watch

• Order backlog updates: Any contraction in Advantest's backlog could be an early warning sign after the strong 2025 run.
• AI chip testing demand: As chips grow more complex, testing time per chip increases. Monitor whether AI accelerator volumes from TSMC and Samsung start to drive outsized testing demand.
• FY2026 guidance: The next forecast update will be critical in confirming whether 2025's upgrade cycle has further to run.

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4. Tokyo Electron (T:8035)

Tokyo Electron is among the world's largest suppliers of semiconductor production equipment, specialising in deposition, etching, and cleaning tools. 

Every major chipmaker, including TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix, depends on TEL's systems to scale production.

As chipmakers invest billions to expand capacity, TEL's order book grows. The risk lies in potential US export restrictions on advanced equipment sales to China, which remains one of the primary revenue segments for the company.

What to watch

• US export control policy: China accounts for a significant portion of TEL's revenue. Any tightening of equipment export rules is the most immediate risk to watch.
• Chipmaker capex announcements: TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix's capital expenditure plans for 2026 directly translate into equipment orders. Any cuts could flow through to TEL's order book.
• New tool adoption cycles: Monitor whether TEL's next-generation deposition and etch tools are being adopted at leading-edge fabs.

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5. SK Hynix (KR:000660)

SK Hynix is the world's second-largest memory chip maker and has emerged as arguably the clearest AI-era beneficiary in the memory space. 

It is Nvidia's primary supplier of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips, the specialised memory used in AI accelerators like the H100 and B200.

HBM demand has driven a dramatic re-rating of SK Hynix's revenue profile and market standing. With AI infrastructure spending showing little sign of slowing heading into 2026, the company's HBM franchise could remain a key differentiator. 

However, capacity constraints and the risk of Samsung and Micron closing the HBM gap are the primary concerns to watch.

What to watch

• Nvidia supply relationship: Any shift in Nvidia's supplier mix toward Samsung or Micron could be a key risk event.
• HBM4 development: The race to next-generation HBM is already underway. Watch for updates on SK Hynix's HBM4 readiness and whether it can maintain its lead.
• Conventional memory pricing: SK Hynix still derives meaningful revenue from standard DRAM and NAND. Spot price trends could be a gauge of the broader memory cycle.

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Bottom line

TSMC, SK Hynix, Samsung, Advantest, and Tokyo Electron collectively control the chokepoints of the AI buildout. 

The expected increase in AI infrastructure may support demand, but investors should weigh the risks carefully. 

Geopolitical exposure, US export restrictions, and the pace of HBM competition could all move the needle.

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While all eyes are on the US AI narrative dominated by Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google, Asia has quietly been moving on AI and is home to some of the world’s most aggressive AI bets.

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Quick facts

• SoftBank has committed $41 billion to OpenAI, securing approximately an 11% ownership stake.
• Alibaba plans to invest more than $50 billion in AI infrastructure over the coming years.
• Baidu's Core AI-powered business revenue grew 48% year over year in Q4, with ~70% of search results now AI-generated.

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1. SoftBank Group (TYO: 9984)

SoftBank is the most AI-committed company in Asia by capital deployed and ambition. CEO Masayoshi Son has declared the company in "total offence mode," having completed a $41 billion investment into OpenAI for approximately an 11% ownership stake. 

Son has also launched a $100 billion initiative aimed at building a vertically integrated AI semiconductor champion (Project Izanagi), repositioning SoftBank as an "AI-era industrial holding company." 

SoftBank's fortunes are now deeply tied to the success of OpenAI and Son's ability to execute his semiconductor plan that puts it in direct competition with established players.

What to monitor

• OpenAI's trajectory: Any shift in OpenAI's competitive position, valuation, or path to profitability has direct implications for SoftBank's balance sheet.
• Project Izanagi progress: Watch for partner announcements, funding milestones, and whether Son can attract the engineering and manufacturing talent needed.
• Arm Holdings performance: SoftBank also has a listed stake in Arm. Arm's data centre and AI chip licensing momentum is worth tracking.
• Debt levels and Vision Fund exposure: SoftBank carries significant leverage. Rising interest rates or a correction in AI valuations could pressure the group's net asset value.

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2. Alibaba Group (BABA)

Alibaba has committed more than US$50 billion to AI infrastructure, making it one of the largest AI capex programmes in the world. 

Its Qwen family of large language models underpins a rebuilt AI-focused cloud platform, and the company has partnered with Nvidia on physical AI projects. 

Alibaba Cloud is also the leading cloud provider in China. The key commercial question is whether Alibaba's can convert this cloud leadership into durable revenue growth.

However, it will have to navigate ongoing regulatory scrutiny in China and competition from local rivals like Huawei and ByteDance.

What to monitor

• Cloud AI revenue growth: The clearest signal of whether the $50 billion investment is translating into commercial traction.
• Qwen model adoption: Enterprise and developer uptake of the Qwen model family could be an indicator of Alibaba's AI platform stickiness.
• Regulatory environment: Beijing's approach to large tech platforms and any renewed regulatory action could disrupt execution and sentiment.
• US-China tech tensions: Nvidia partnership activity and access to advanced AI chips could be affected by further export controls.

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3. Baidu (BIDU)

Baidu has made the most visible AI transformation of any company on this list. It has released a 2.4 trillion parameter omni-modal model (ERNIE 5.0) with approximately 70% of its search results now delivered as AI-generated rich media. 

Beyond search, its Apollo Go robotaxi service is now partnering with Uber to expand into Dubai and the UK.

Its Core AI-powered business generated RMB 11.3 billion in Q4 revenue, up 48% YoY. The question now is whether that momentum is sustainable and whether the robotaxi business can scale economically.

What to monitor

• ERNIE monetisation: Watch for updates on enterprise API revenue and advertising yield improvements driven by AI-generated search.
• Apollo Go expansion: Rider volume growth and cost per ride will indicate whether unit economics are improving.
• Search market share: Competition from ByteDance and emerging AI-native search alternatives in China is a potential structural risk.

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4. Tencent Holdings (HK: 0700)

Tencent's AI play is to allocate its GPU capacity to itself. This allows it to convert AI directly into efficiency gains across its ecosystem. 

With WeChat's 1.4 billion users providing an unmatched data engine, Tencent is embedding AI across gaming, payments, cloud, and search in a way that is difficult to replicate. 

This approach also offers greater resilience against AI chip export restrictions, since the compute stays internal.

The AI upside here is arguably underappreciated because it is embedded rather than a separate segment, which could also mean the market may find it harder to isolate and value that contribution.

What to monitor

• Advertising revenue trends: The most measurable near-term AI benefit is from ad targeting improvements translating into sustained advertising revenue growth.
• WeChat ecosystem AI integration: Watch for new AI-native features within WeChat, including search, mini-programs, and payments, as signals of platform deepening.
• Regulatory and geopolitical risk: Tencent operates under ongoing scrutiny from Chinese regulators and faces restrictions in some Western markets.

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5. Kakao (KRX: 035720)

Kakao is South Korea's dominant AI and internet platform, operating KakaoTalk, which is used by approximately 95% of South Koreans.

It is one of the most aggressively AI-focused non-Chinese tech companies in Asia, investing heavily in LLM development and AI-native services. 

The domestic dominance of KakaoTalk provides a captive distribution platform for AI products in a way few companies outside China can match. The key question is whether Kakao can monetise that distribution advantage before global competitors close the gap.

What to monitor

• KakaoAI product rollouts: New AI-native features within KakaoTalk and Kakao's broader service suite are the most direct signal of commercial AI progress.
• Cloud division growth: Kakao's cloud business is the infrastructure layer for its AI ambitions. Revenue growth and enterprise customer additions are key metrics.
• LLM competitive positioning: Monitor how Kakao's models benchmark against global and regional peers, and whether Korean enterprise customers are adopting them at scale.
• Corporate governance: Kakao has faced governance-related scrutiny in recent years; any developments here could affect sentiment independently of AI progress.

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Bottom line

Asia's AI landscape is far more complicated than a simple "follow the AI spend" narrative suggests. 

China's top companies are innovating rapidly but operate under regulatory and geopolitical constraints. Japan's SoftBank is making the biggest single bet, but at a level of concentration risk that demands scrutiny. And South Korea's Kakao offers a differentiated, lower-geopolitical-risk angle.

The AI push in Asia is real. But the range of outcomes across these five names is wide, making it pivotal to understand each company's specific exposure and risk profile, not just its AI narrative.