{
  "id": 14573714,
  "title": "Seoul stocks open sharply lower on lingering concerns over AI, US inflation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/seoul-stocks-open-sharply-lower-on-lingering-concerns-over-ai-us-14573714",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-15T00:52:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/economy/20261015/seoul-stocks-open-sharply-lower-on-lingering-concerns-over-ai-us-inflation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul stocks plunged to their lowest level in months on Thursday, as investor confidence dwindled due to lingering doubts about the viability of artificial intelligence (AI) and unexpectedly high inflation rates in the United States. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), which serves as the benchmark for Seoul stocks, plummeted 348.47 points, or 5.8 percent, bringing the index to 5,660.34 by 9:15 a.m. In response to the sharp decline, the country's bourse operator promptly issued a sell-side sidecar to manage the market fallout. This downward spiral marked Seoul stocks' sixth consecutive day of losses.\n\nWall Street's major stock indexes also suffered their own setbacks overnight, with investors grappling with rising inflation worries and skepticism surrounding the potential for AI to deliver on its promised returns. The S&P 500 fell by 1.11 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq experienced a 1.88 percent drop. The U.S. Consumer Price Index, a key inflation indicator, increased by 0.6 percent in September compared to the previous month, pushing the annual inflation rate to 3.7 percent. This figure surpassed economists' expectations of a 3.6 percent rise, further fueling concerns about the broader economic impact. Despite these headwinds, many investors remain doubtful about whether AI investment can generate the anticipated returns that have fueled optimism in recent years.",
  "summary": "Seoul stocks opened sharply lower Thursday, as concerns over the sustainability of artificial intelligence (AI) and hotter-than-expected inflation in the United States dampened investor sentiment. After opening sharply lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) tumbled 348.47 points, or 5.8 percent, to 5,660.34 as of 9:15 a.m. The sharp drop in the index triggered the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(URGENT) Seoul stocks open sharply lower on lingering concerns over AI, U.S. inflation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/urgent-seoul-stocks-open-sharply-lower-on-lingering-concerns-over-ai",
        "published": "2026-10-15T00:01:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Seoul stocks open sharply lower on lingering concerns over AI, US inflation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/seoul-stocks-open-sharply-lower-on-lingering-concerns-over-ai-us",
        "published": "2026-10-15T00:32:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}