Asia-Pacific markets set to track Wall Street gains after Lunar New Year break

Asia-Pacific markets were poised to open higher on Thursday as several regional bourses returned from the Lunar New Year holiday, tracking gains on Wall Street that boosted investor sentiment ahead of the trading week. The positive opening followed a strong performance on Wall Street, where major indices finished Wednesday with significant gains, creating a positive backdrop for markets in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and parts of Southeast Asia that were all expected to benefit from the momentum. Futures across the region indicated a bullish start to the trading week, with the holiday period having provided a pause in trading that allowed investors to reassess their positions following recent volatility and digest both corporate earnings and economic data.