Asian stocks slide as AI spending fears deepen, oil rebounds on Iran strike report

Asian stock markets experienced a downturn on Tuesday, following a tech selloff on Wall Street driven by AI spending fears. This decline overshadowed the possibility of resolving the Middle East conflict. However, oil prices showed signs of recovery after reports surfaced that US forces had targeted an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.

The vast investments in the AI sector have left investors concerned about the profitability of firms, leading to cautious trading during the second half of the year. Earnings reports from tech giants like Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft revealed continued spending of hundreds of billions of dollars on data centers and chips, even as investors questioned the return on these investments.

Apple's strong earnings report had initially boosted the market, but it later warned that its gross margin would decline in October-December. Simultaneously, Anthropic, a prominent AI company, reported a staggering 1,100 percent surge in quarterly revenue and pledged nearly $900 billion in spending commitments, leading up to its Wall Street listing.

Increasing borrowing costs have raised concerns about companies' financial health due to their massive debts, further contributing to the downward pressure on stock prices. Following a challenging week, the selling persisted into the beginning of this week, with Asian and US stocks facing losses on the Nasdaq. Tuesday saw similar losses in Seoul-listed SK hynix and Samsung, pushing the Kospi index down over three percent.

Other markets in Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, Manila, Bangkok, and Jakarta also experienced declines, although Hong Kong, Sydney, Mumbai, and Wellington managed to rise. Tokyo was closed for the day. London, Frankfurt, and Paris opened in the red. The market's weakness was attributed to deeper factors beyond oil prices, yields, or the dollar.

US President Donald Trump suggested progress in Middle East negotiations, stating that intensive talks were underway and Iran was willing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under specific conditions. However, caution remained, as the US and Iran's positions had not changed significantly. Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator insisted that the US must first address its concerns, while the US demanded concessions related to Iran's nuclear program.

The stalemate's resolution remains uncertain, with no indication that either side is ready to make concessions.