Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
Asian technology and chipmaking stocks fell sharply on Monday as investor caution intensified over growing uncertainties surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) spending and its impact on future earnings. The sell-off followed weak signals from major U.S. technology companies, raising fresh concerns about margin sustainability, rising costs, and the long-term profitability of aggressive AI investments.
Pressure on semiconductor stocks increased after a series of U.S. earnings reports and outlooks highlighted challenges in the AI hardware sector. Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ: AVGO) shares dropped significantly last week after the company warned that margins could narrow despite strong demand for its AI chips. The warning underscored fears that escalating production and development costs may outweigh near-term revenue gains from AI-related products.
Earlier, Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) also contributed to market unease by issuing weaker-than-expected guidance and pointing to higher expenses tied to its expanding AI infrastructure. Oracle’s outlook reinforced investor skepticism over how major technology companies plan to generate sustainable returns from massive AI investments, especially as competition intensifies and costs rise.
In Asia, South Korean stocks led regional declines, with Samsung Electronics (KS:005930) and SK Hynix (KS:000660) both falling nearly 4%. The losses reflected concerns about memory chip demand and pricing pressure linked to AI-driven supply expansions. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (TW:2330), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, saw its shares trade around 2% lower, adding to the broader weakness in semiconductor stocks.
Japanese technology shares also faced heavy selling. Advantest Corp. (TYO:6857), a key supplier of chip-testing equipment, slid about 6%, while SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) tumbled more than 7%, weighed down by exposure to technology investments and AI-related volatility.
In Hong Kong, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (HK:0981) declined roughly 2.5%, while Hua Hong Semiconductor (HK:1347) dropped over 5%. Major Chinese technology firms also retreated, with Alibaba Group (HK:9988), Baidu Inc (HK:9888), and Xiaomi Corp (HK:1810) falling between 2% and 4%, reflecting broader risk aversion toward AI and technology stocks.
Overall, the decline highlights growing investor caution toward the AI sector, as markets reassess valuations, spending levels, and the path to sustainable earnings growth.
