Bank of Korea governor said the recent won rebound should help lower import costs and the won may strengthen further against the US dollar.

China A-shares rose into midday: Shanghai Composite +0.6%, Shenzhen Component +1.19%, ChiNext +1.51%. CPO-related names led gains — Saiwei Electronics hit 20% limit up; Changxin Bochuan, Shengyi Electronics, Juguang Technology and Kexiang Co. each rose over 10%. PCB sector also strong — Kent Co. hit 20% limit up; Zhongying Technology and Oukeyi climbed over 10%; Hongchang Electronics, Dongwei Technology and Taijin New Energy recorded multiple constituents at limit up. Precious-metals advanced: Zhaojin Gold and Hunan Gold hit limit up; Sichuan Gold, Hunan Silver, Chifeng Gold, Zhuye Group and Hengbang Co. also rose. Banking weakened: Zheshang Bank and Changshu Bank fell more than 3%; China Minsheng Bank, Bank of Chongqing and Huaxia Bank declined. Bioproducts slid: Nearshore Protein and Sanyuan Gene fell over 5%; Nuoweizan, Baiaotai and Weiguang Biological also moved lower.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine will deploy two additional units to reinforce the Donetsk front.