CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: News of Intel's outlook spilling over to tech stocks in Asia -- Dalton Tanonaka joins us now from Hong Kong with a look at the Asian markets -- hi, Dalton.</s>DALTON TANONAKA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Christine. Positive words from the Semiconductor Industry Association and U.S. chip giant Intel boosted stock prices here in Asia. An early rally in Tokyo's Nikkei maintained its strength throughout the trading day, with that index closing better than 1 percent higher -- chips and other tech stocks leading the way. But some gloomy news in on the horizon for Japan. The country's economics minister, Heizo Takenaka, says the government plans to downgrade its assessment for the economy for the fifth straight month. It may even lower its current 1.7 growth projection for the year when it releases its monthly GDP report next week. Markets in Seoul saw upward momentum throughout its session, with index heavyweight Samsung surging nearly 4.5 percent. Overall the KOSPI, gained 3.4 percent, the tech heavy KOSDAQ firming 3.33 percent. Telecom giants China Unicom and China Mobile lifted the Hong Kong market, with the Hang Seng climbing three-quarters of 1 percent for the day and 5 percent for the week. And that is the market and business day here in Asia -- back to you, Christine, in New York.</s>ROMANS: OK, thank you, Dalton. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Positive Intel News Spills into Asian Markets