Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell more than 2%. Among constituents, Sunny Optical Technology (02382.HK) dropped over 12%, Lenovo Group (00992.HK) fell over 7%, and SMIC (00981.HK) declined nearly 6%.

Apple’s product price increases prompted a Friday sell-off in Asian technology stocks as investors worried that rising component costs will suppress end-device demand and eventually weigh on the memory chip market supporting AI investment. Markets are reassessing whether rapidly rising storage prices—driven by strong AI demand—could, by raising manufacturing and consumer costs, begin to curb overall spending. Apple’s move is being read as a clear signal that sector pricing power may come at the expense of future demand, prompting re-ratings of AI-exposed semiconductor names. Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo, said markets no longer treat rising memory prices as an unambiguous positive for the AI trade: it confirms robust AI infrastructure demand but increases the cost of building and using AI, risking a slowdown in the memory cycle that markets have begun to price in.

Brent crude rose 3.00% intraday to $75.63/bbl, while WTI rose 3.00% intraday to $72.60/bbl.