The wage dispute at Samsung Electronics is far from over. A planned strike was averted last minute by a deal between the company and its union. But disgruntled shareholders now threaten to derail the agreement.
Details of the deal have drawn attention. Some staff will receive bonuses of up to $416,000, mostly in stock.
Investors are looking past the drama, bidding up Samsung shares by over 7%. South Korean shares rose more than 7.5%. Rival SK Hynix, whose bonus package triggered the dispute, surged over 11%.
Markets are buoyant after three supertankers carrying 6 million barrels of oil crossed the Strait of Hormuz.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rallied 3% after Nvidia's better-than-expected revenue forecast lifted chipmakers.
But the world's most valuable company Apple fell 1.3% in after-hours trading. S&P 500 e-mini futures were flat.
Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 3.6% after PMI and export data beat expectations.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would speak to his Taiwanese counterpart, a move that could anger China.
European futures were mixed. FTSE futures down 0.1%, DAX futures flat.
