U.S. AI‑spending concerns trigger sharp sell‑off in Asian semiconductor stocks

Asian chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw their shares tumble after a U.S. market sell‑off sparked by worries that a Democratic‑controlled Congress will tighten oversight of AI data‑center construction. The rout spread to other regional technology names and coincided with a 5.5% drop in the Nasdaq Composite. Foreign investors also dumped an estimated 1.5 trillion won of SK Hynix shares, pushing South Korea’s KOSPI down more than 8% at the open.

The steep price declines erode market value for the listed Korean and Japanese chip firms and may trigger further selling pressure in related Asian tech stocks, as investors reassess demand for AI‑related hardware.

  • 1The Nasdaq Composite fell 5.5% on the day, entering correction territory.
  • 2Democrats secured control of both the U.S. Senate and House in the midterm elections, raising fears of tighter data‑center oversight.
  • 3Foreign investors sold about 1.5 trillion won of SK Hynix shares in the prior session.
  • 4South Korea’s KOSPI index dropped more than 8% at the open, triggering a 20‑minute circuit‑breaker.
  • Samsung Electronics price decline reported as 10.7% versus 7%.
  • SK Hynix price decline reported as 13.1%, 8% and 9.5%.

Sources