Asian equities plunged Friday morning after an overnight US sell-off in AI names. SK Hynix tumbled 12% and Samsung Electronics fell about 10%, dragging the KOSPI down more than 8% and triggering a circuit breaker. Japan’s Nikkei dropped over 6.7% below 57,000, with Kioxia off 11%. Taiwan’s Weighted Index opened nearly 9% lower; TSMC slid about 10%. Market participants cited concern that shifts in the US political landscape could slow data‑centre construction and hit semiconductor growth; analyst

Asian equities plunged Friday morning after an overnight US sell-off in AI names. SK Hynix tumbled 12% and Samsung Electronics fell about 10%, dragging the KOSPI down more than 8% and triggering a circuit breaker. Japan’s Nikkei dropped over 6.7% below 57,000, with Kioxia off 11%. Taiwan’s Weighted Index opened nearly 9% lower; TSMC slid about 10%. Market participants cited concern that shifts in the US political landscape could slow data‑centre construction and hit semiconductor growth; analysts warned a Democratic win could trigger a more sustained liquidation of AI-related stocks. Separately, markets reassessed the chance of an end to the Iran war, sending crude prices higher. ANZ analysts said the sharp post‑election oil decline may have been overdone, and analysts noted Iran still controls the Strait of Hormuz and is unlikely to give up that control.