🇯🇵🇰🇷 Asian stocks sink on inflation fears

Asian equities fell sharply on Oct. 15 after a U.S. market sell-off driven by stronger-than-expected inflation data and concern over AI-linked debt. South Korea’s KOSPI dropped 7.6% to 5,554.22, while Japan’s Nikkei closed below 65,000 at 64,425.95; Nikkei Asia reported steep losses in Seoul and Tokyo, with Samsung Electronics down 9.5%, SK Hynix off more than 11.1%, and Kioxia losing 12.3%.

The decline followed overnight losses on Wall Street after September U.S. inflation accelerated from August. Higher yields and borrowing costs are adding pressure to AI infrastructure financing and credit conditions, while the U.S. Nasdaq fell 1.8% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Sector index dropped more than 4%, reinforcing pressure on Asian tech and semiconductor names.

Selling also spread beyond chipmakers, with Hyundai Motor down 5.7%, indicating broader risk aversion across regional equities. Taiwan’s Taiex fell 3.4% even as TSMC posted a sixth straight quarter of record earnings.

#Japan #SouthKorea #Taiwan

@asianomics