South Korea, Japan shares fall as Asian stocks decline in break from US chip rally

Asian stocks, led by South Korea's Kospi Index, declined as the region broke from a chip-led rally on Wall Street that helped the Nasdaq 100 recover. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.6%, with eight of its 11 subgroups in the red. SK Hynix, a chipmaker, dropped more than 2% after hitting its lowest close since April. Japan's Nikkei 225 and Topix also fell by 0.8% and 0.9% respectively.

In contrast, US tech stocks rallied on Wall Street, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up 1.6%. Treasury yields held their losses, and French bonds declined following unrest. The AI sector faces further challenges as investors await earnings from major tech companies and grapple with concerns over spending and higher interest rates.

China's central bank indicated a shift to a new policy benchmark, aiming to align with global peer frameworks. Meanwhile, gold and oil prices saw minor gains and fluctuations respectively. Geopolitical tensions, particularly in France and Iran, continue to weigh on markets.