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Glonghui April 9｜Meta released a new artificial intelligence model, and Anthropic launched the Claude tool for building agents. As a result, Asian software stocks followed their U.S. peers in declining. Meanwhile, well-known investor Michael Burry posted on X saying, "Anthropic is eating into Palantir's market share." In the Australian market, Wisetech shares fell as much as 7.6%, Xero dropped 7.3%, and Technology One lost 5.3%. In the Japanese market, Money Forward fell 4.6%, Obic Business Consultants dropped 3.2%, NEC declined 3.3%, Rakus lost 2.6%, Trend Micro decreased 3%, and Nomura Research fell 1.9%. In South Korea: Shinsegae Information Group fell 2.2%, Samsung SDS dropped 1.7%, and LG CNS slid 1.6%.

All 27 analysts surveyed by the media predicted that there will be no changes to interest rates at Friday’s policy meeting. Given the leadership transition at the Bank of Korea and ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East, policymakers may adopt a cautious wait-and-see stance, even though the United States and Iran have recently reached a ceasefire agreement. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted, and disruptions to this key energy corridor are weighing on growth while exacerbating inflation risks. Barclays economist Bum Ki Son noted that the outgoing governor, Rhee Chang Yong, may keep all options open, giving incoming governor Shin Hyun Song flexibility ahead of his first interest rate-setting meeting in May.

CBOT soybean futures rose, boosted by optimistic export outlooks. The USDA's April supply and demand report is about to be released, inventory divergence is intensifying— which crop faces greater pressure, corn or soybeans?