ASIAN EQUITIES GAINED MODESTLY, LED BY SEMICONDUCTOR STOCKS AS THE AI TRADE REMAINED STRONG, WITH SOUTH KOREA'S KOSPI UP 0.5%, THE MSCI ASIA PACIFIC INDEX GAINING 0.4% AND JAPAN'S TOPIX ADVANCING 0.4% AFTER A 1.3% JUMP IN THE PHILADELPHIA SEMICONDUCTOR INDEX, AS SK HYNIX EDGED HIGHER AMID CONTINUED ENTHUSIASM FOR AI-RELATED CHIP DEMAND.