Tech firms rallied on a mixed day for Asian stocks Monday, with traders gearing up for a crucial week of events culminating in US inflation data that could determine the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates.

The gains led by chipmakers in Seoul and Tokyo came even after a forecast-busting reading on US jobs Friday that ramped up bets the central bank will tighten monetary policy on 16 September.

A fresh bout of tit-for-tat US-Iran strikes at the weekend pushed oil higher and added upward pressure to inflation expectations.

After July's rout of AI-linked firms, dealers have been edging back into the sector, confident that the vast sums invested in recent years will pay off -- despite concerns about elevated valuations.