Asian stocks slump after US tech rout amid AI jitters
Concerns that Democrats in the US will push back against data center projects are weighing on an AI trade that is already on shaky footing amid growing doubts about profitability.
Asian shares experienced a significant decline on Friday, in the wake of a substantial drop in US technology stocks the previous day. Tokyo's key Nikkei 225 index dropped by 5.5% during early trading hours, while Seoul's tech-focused Kospi index plummeted as much as 8.8%, prompting a circuit breaker that halted trading for 20 minutes. Taiwan's main TAIEX index also saw a decline of over 8%.
The primary victims of the artificial intelligence-related sell-off were major Asian tech companies such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Samsung's shares plummeted nearly 10%, while SK Hynix experienced a decline of over 11%. Additionally, Japanese chip-related shares suffered, with Tokyo Electron's stock falling around 9% and Kioxia shedding 13%.
The market sell-off was likely to extend to Europe, as European stock futures decreased by 1%. On Thursday, US markets faced a sharp downturn due to a significant retreat in tech stocks, particularly those involved in the construction of artificial intelligence infrastructure like data centers. The tech-focused Nasdaq shed 5.52% and lost approximately $2.5 trillion (around €2.23 trillion) in market value, while the broader S&P 500 index dropped 4.4%.
This market downturn was fueled by growing anxiety surrounding the massive AI spending plans and their potential to generate profits. The recent US midterm elections, which saw Democrats gain control of both houses of the US Congress, further exacerbated concerns. Several Democratic governors-elect had campaigned on slowing AI development and pledged to halt or pause the construction of data centers, owing to mounting public opposition to such projects.
Michael McCarthy, CEO of online brokerage Moomoo for Australia and New Zealand, commented on the situation, stating, "It's pretty clear there's been a real shift in sentiment." He added that market turning points often involve strong disagreement, which is reflected in the market through substantial price swings in either direction. The overnight sell-off suggests that the market is now heading in that direction.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Business)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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