A rally in some of the world’s largest technology companies drove stocks higher, with traders also wading through the latest economic data and awaiting Jerome Powell’s remarks for clues on the Federal Reserve’s next steps.

Stocks in Asia declined after South Korea’s political turmoil triggered by a brief imposition of martial law put investors on edge. Most Read from BloombergAs Wars Rage, Cities Face a Dark New Era of Urban DestructionRiyadh Metro Partially Opens in Bid to Ease City’s Traffic JamsThe benchmark Kospi Index fell as much as 2.

South Korean stocks sank Wednesday while the won rebounded from earlier losses after President Yoon Suk Yeol dramatically declared martial law overnight before reversing the decision hours later.