AI jitters pull Asian markets lower as Wall Street wanes, KOSPI sinks 5%

Asian stocks slid as AI enthusiasm cooled amid weak Wall Street signals. South Korea’s KOSPI fell more than 5% led by heavyweight chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped about 2.5% and other regional markets were weaker. Traders eyed earnings from Amazon and Alphabet and weighed inflation risks after Kevin Warsh’s nomination to lead the Fed, with China PMI data adding to the cautious tone.