澳大利亞S&P/ASX200指數8月19日（週三）開盤下跌42.10點，跌幅0.46%，報9027.90點。

Reuters survey: median forecast expects the Bank of England to keep Bank Rate unchanged at 3.75% until the first quarter of next year.

South Korean shares led declines in Asian chip names on Wednesday morning as rising bond yields intensified concern over heavy tech-sector capital spending. The KOSPI tumbled as much as 6.8% intraday and an Asian semiconductor index fell over 2%, mirroring selloffs in US semiconductor and other AI-related stocks. Bond yields stayed elevated on worries about inflation and rising government debt, raising the risk that borrowing costs could climb further; uncertainty from the ongoing Iran conflict added to caution. The CEO of Fibonacci Asset Management said the long-term AI case remains intact but rising rates and geopolitical risk are making investors unwilling to pay high premiums, and price falls also reflected profit-taking after an “exceptionally strong rally.”