Asian Equities Slide as AI Capital Jitters Weigh on Chipmakers

### Session Tape - MSCI Asia Pacific Index: ~-1% session decline - South Korea KOSPI: -2.1% session move - Japan Nikkei 225: -1.1% session move - Hang Seng Index: -2.7% session move - China CSI 300: -1.6% session move

## Catalyst Analysis: Regional Semiconductor Softness and AI Infrastructure Scrutiny Asian markets retreated sharply on Thursday, pressured by a broader reassessment of artificial intelligence capital expenditures and regional tech weakness. South Korean chipmakers bore the brunt of the session's losses, with SK Hynix dropping 4% and Samsung Electronics falling 3.6%. The selloff follows mixed signals from major U.S. technology equities, where questions surrounding the monetization of heavy data center spending weighed on sentiment. In broader Asian trade, Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 2.7%, and mainland China's CSI 300 slid 1.6%, bringing the index near technical bear market territory.

## $META+WL Technical Analysis & Key Risk Watch — from LIVE MARKET CONTEXT Key levels for Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) (educational): R2 $738.25 · R1 $708.83 · last $705.44 · S1 $702.71 · S2 $667.05. Traders tracking the security note an RSI14 of 39.2 alongside a volume multiple of 0.75x against its 20-day average, reflecting cautious consolidation amid shifting sector momentum.

## Impact on Related Tickers Regional technology supply chains faced severe headwinds during the session. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing slipped 0.6%, Foxconn lost 1%, and Japanese equipment names such as Kioxia declined 3.3% alongside Murata Manufacturing's 2.1% drop. Meanwhile, mainland Chinese e-commerce heavyweights declined as Alibaba fell 5.5% following regulatory calls for stricter quality control, with JD.com dropping 4.2% and Tencent losing 3%.