<div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div>By Kimberley Kao Asian equities markets started the week on a brighter note, as tech stocks and gold tracked Friday's rally on Wall Street, and regional election results added to the risk-on mood. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average closed 3.9% higher at a record high after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led her party to a landslide victory in parliamentary elections. The outcome gives Takaichi's party its most dominant position in decades and a strong mandate to push through an expansive fiscal agenda, particularly benefiting defense and technology, said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote. &#34;This likely helps explain why South Korea's Kospi rebounded,&#34; she said in a note. A rally in blue-chip stocks helped the Kospi index snap a two-session losing streak to finish 4.1% higher. Index heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix added 4.9% and 5.7% respectively. In Thailand, the benchmark SET Index rose as much as 3.7% after initial results pointed to a victory for the ruling party. The win should clear some political uncertainty, paving the way for more foreign capital inflows, analysts say. Tech stocks in China and Hong Kong were on firmer ground as well, recovering from selloffs last week. The Hang Seng Tech Index was 2% higher, led by gains in chips and health technology firms. China's Nasdaq-like ChiNext index gained 3.0%, while the Shanghai Composite Index added 1.4%. &#34;Dip buying returned as concerns over AI disruption and deleveraging eased,&#34; Saxo APAC Research said in a note. The positive momentum in equities was seen in metals too, with silver and gold both bouncing back. Spot gold was 1.3% higher, stabilizing at over $5,000 per troy ounce, while spot silver jumped 4.8% to $81.68/oz. Bitcoin swung between gains and losses, but stayed above the $70,000 level. It was last 0.5% lower at $70,297.00. &#34;What lies behind the optimism is not entirely clear, but signs of somewhat weaker inflationary pressures in the U.S. have probably contributed,&#34; potentially buoying expectations for rate cuts, said Olle Holmgren at SEB Research. Focus will likely turn to delayed U.S. jobs and inflation data as investors gauge when the Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates again. For Michael Brown, senior research strategist at Pepperstone, the path of least resistance continues to lead to the upside, &#34;in what remains a very constructive environment indeed for risk taking, with any dips still presenting buying opportunities.&#34; Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires02-09-26 0220ET</div></div>

Asian equities rose as tech stocks and gold followed Wall Street's rally, boosted by regional election results. Japan's Nikkei surged 3.9% to a record high after Prime Minister Takaichi's party won decisively, enabling a strong fiscal agenda. South Korea's Kospi rebounded 4.1%, led by Samsung and SK Hynix. Thailand's SET Index rose 3.7% amid political clarity. Chinese tech stocks also gained, with the Hang Seng Tech Index up 2%. Gold and silver prices increased, while Bitcoin remained above $70,000. Analysts noted optimism amid easing inflation concerns in the U.S.

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Asian Stocks Rise on Elections Boost, Return of Risk Appetite