Oil and data centre stocks sink after US midterms

Oil, chip stocks, and the dollar faced pressure in Asia on Thursday as US voters propelled Democrats to a series of surprising midterm election wins, sparking hopes for an end to the US-Iran war. Brent crude futures plummeted nearly 9%, dropping below $100 a barrel, marking the largest weekly decline since April 2020. Lower energy prices boosted bond yields, pulled the dollar to a one-month low against the euro, and supported stocks.

Broad stock indexes rose, with the S&P 500 closing 1.6% higher and European shares hitting a two-month high. Solar supply chain stocks soared, anticipating Democratic support for renewables, while data centre companies and their equipment suppliers in Asia faced a decline due to potential tougher regulations. South Korea's chipmaker-heavy KOSPI slipped 4%, nearing a seven-month low, and Taiwan's benchmark index fell 1.8%. Tech equipment suppliers weighed on the Nikkei, falling 0.5%.

Democrats' victories in Texas and Georgia, driven by opposition to data centre construction moratoriums, caught markets off guard, suggesting a shift in public opinion towards AI. Analysts believe the effect on demand for artificial intelligence, data centres, and computer chips will likely be temporary, with analysts predicting at least a temporary slowdown.

The election's magnitude has surprised traders, with Brent testing overnight lows at $93.50, prompting bets that President Donald Trump, facing a Democratic Congress and burdened by high energy prices, may ease tensions with Iran. Trump acknowledged the war's impact on Republicans' defeat, with Vice President JD Vance stating that the war was a key reason for the loss.

A resolution could further depress oil prices, alleviating inflation pressure and reducing the likelihood of future interest rate hikes.