Asian stocks ended mixed on Thursday, with Japan's Nikkei and South Korea's Kospi surging to record highs. The Nikkei average soared 1.65 percent to 71,053.49, rising above 71,000 for the first time and extending its record-breaking run to a fourth session, while the broader Topix index settled 1.37 percent higher at 4,068.18. Seoul's Kospi index jumped 2.25 percent to 9,063.84, breaching the 9,000 milestone for the first time, as chipmakers hit record highs on AI optimism. In contrast, China's Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.43 percent to 4,090.48 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index tumbled 1.59 percent to 23,924.81, extending losses for a third consecutive session. The mixed performance came after the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted at a possible interest rate hike this year, while Japanese markets were also boosted by reports of a finalized U.S.-Iran peace agreement.