Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Tech Stocks Struggle Ahead of Key US Economic Data 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets 
Bank of Japan Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Inflation Pressures Persist 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Japan PMI Data Signals Manufacturing Stabilization as Services Continue to Drive Growth 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Asian stocks tumbled on Tuesday, driven by a sharp decline in technology shares ahead of Nvidia's highly anticipated earnings. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index led losses, dropping 2% as investors took profits after a strong tech-driven rally. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.9%, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), a key Nvidia supplier, slid 1.4%, dragging the Taiwan Weighted index lower.
Investor caution intensified following a Bloomberg report that the Biden administration may tighten restrictions on chip exports to China. This came after former U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to increase scrutiny on Chinese investments in critical U.S. sectors, escalating trade tensions. Concerns over Trump's proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports also weighed on sentiment.
China’s markets struggled as the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite declined 0.9% and 0.5%, respectively. The initial boost from China’s AI-driven optimism faded, particularly after the January debut of DeepSeek.
South Korea’s KOSPI fell 0.4%, cushioned by the Bank of Korea’s 25-basis-point rate cut, marking the third easing in its current cycle. However, major tech stocks still faced pressure, with chipmaker SK Hynix sliding 2.2%.
Australia’s ASX 200 lost 0.6%, extending its retreat from record highs, while Singapore’s Straits Times index remained flat after lower-than-expected inflation data. Indian markets also pointed to a weak open amid growing losses.
Meanwhile, Japan’s TOPIX shed 0.2%, but gains in trading houses, fueled by Warren Buffett’s investment in Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsui, Sumitomo, and Mitsubishi, helped limit losses.
With Nvidia set to report earnings Wednesday, investors remain on edge, watching for signals on AI-driven demand in the tech sector.
