Asian stock markets declined, primarily due to a sharp selloff in South Korean chip stocks. The KOSPI index dropped over 6%, significantly affected by major chip producers like SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, which saw losses of 8% to 11%. Investor sentiment weakened amid concerns regarding rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran, especially affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Japan's Nikkei 225 also fell by 2.7% due to pressures from the semiconductor sector. Traders are focused on the upcoming quarterly earnings announcement from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which is expected to reflect high demand for AI-related products. Rising crude prices have raised fears over energy inflation impacting corporate earnings and tightening monetary policy.

Asia stocks slide as S. Korea chip stocks tumble; TSMC earnings in focus

Author Ayushman Ojha

Stock Markets

Published 07/15/2026, 11:17 PM

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Asia stocks slide as S. Korea chip stocks tumble; TSMC earnings in focus

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Investing.com-- Asian stock markets fell on Thursday, with South Korean shares leading regional losses as a sharp selloff in semiconductor stocks and renewed concerns over U.S.-Iran tensions around the Strait of Hormuz dampened investor sentiment.

Traders awaited quarterly results from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (TW:2330) later in the day for cues on AI demand.

U.S. stock index futures were largely muted in Asian trading after Wall Street finished modestly higher overnight.

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KOSPI slumps over 6% on chipmaker losses

South Korea's KOSPI slumped more than 6%, triggering a brief trading halt, with heavyweight chipmakers SK Hynix (KS:000660) and Samsung Electronics (KS:005930) dropping between 8% and 11%.

In other news, the Bank of Korea raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.75%, citing persistent inflationary pressures, rising household debt and resilience in the domestic economy.

Japan's Nikkei 225 slid 2.7% as memory chip and semiconductor-related shares came under pressure, while the broader TOPIX index fell 1.1%.

Investors remained wary after the U.S. stepped up attacks on Iran, renewing concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Higher crude prices raised fears that persistent energy inflation could weigh on corporate earnings and limit central banks' room to ease monetary policy.

TSMC earnings ahead

China's Shanghai Composite and Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 edged 0.5% lower each, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.7% -- bucking the regional trend.

AXJO0.00%JP225-2.63%HK50+1.33%NSEI+0.04%KS11-6.37%STI-0.6%SSEC-1.85%TOPX-1.45%000660-11.53%005930-8.77%2330+0.83%CSI300-1.85%

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AXJO0.00%JP225-2.63%HK50+1.33%NSEI+0.04%KS11-6.37%STI-0.6%SSEC-1.85%TOPX-1.45%000660-11.53%005930-8.77%2330+0.83%CSI300-1.85%

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Elsewhere, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged down 0.3%, while Singapore's Straits Times Index slipped 0.5%.

Futures tied to India's Nifty 50 were largely muted.

Market attention was firmly on TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier to Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL).

Analysts expect the company to post a fifth consecutive quarter of record profit, driven by robust artificial intelligence-related demand, and investors will closely watch whether management raises its full-year revenue and capital spending forecasts.

The semiconductor sector remained under pressure amid concerns over the sustainability of AI-driven spending.

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Asia stocks slide as S. Korea chip stocks tumble; TSMC earnings in focus

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Comment Guidelines

Tom Train 2 hours ago

blackrock will keep selling off semis and memory names until it is so low, you will sell them your shares, then boom, ath.

Reply12

ari tanri 4 hours ago

Semiconductors was the BIGGEST FRAUD IN FINANCIAL HISTORY. They sold you something that existed since WWII - namely, COMPUTERS - as something NEW and wonderful that's going to solve all our problems. At least, tulips and the South Sea Bubble truly were something new. BUY BUY BUY because you will own NOTHING and be happy. That's your entire function as a useless eater. BUY BUY BUY.

Reply810

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Jbc Br 2 hours ago

ari tanri youri making a fool of yourself talking about things you know nothing about.

Reply22

Jbc Br 2 hours ago

Frank Francone this is normal this typical price action when an industry is coming I to market with new technology and new products.

Reply22

ari tanri 2 hours ago

Jbc BrAd hominems are false arguments wielded only by insidious idiots

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Industry Spotlight

5 Things You Need to Know About the Gold and Silver Selloff

Apr 20, 2026•

By Daniela Hathorn

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Indices

Commodities

Bonds

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US 30

52,663.10

+4.6

+0.01%

US 500

7,569.00

-3.4

-0.05%

Dow Jones

52,658.64

+150.37

+0.29%

S&P 500

7,572.40

+28.81

+0.38%

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26,269.23

+162.22

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S&P 500 VIX

15.82

+0.15

+0.96%

Dollar Index

100.335

+0.061

+0.06%

Crude Oil WTI Futures

79.24

-0.36

-0.45%

Brent Oil Futures

84.27

-0.68

-0.80%

Natural Gas Futures

2.902

-0.022

-0.75%

Gold Futures

4,041.00

-10.80

-0.27%

Silver Futures

57.365

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-0.12%

Copper Futures

6.3927

+0.0517

+0.82%

US Soybeans Futures

1,204.88

+3.88

+0.32%

U.S. 10Y

4.571

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U.S. 30Y

5.106

+0.023

+0.45%

U.S. 5Y

4.285

+0.030

+0.71%

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3.799

+0.015

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US 10Y T-Note Futures

109.11

-0.19

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Euro Bund Futures

124.88

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10-2 Yield Spread

31.32

+4.15

+15.27%

AAPL

327.50

+12.64

+4.01%

NVDA

212.50

+0.70

+0.33%

GOOGL

370.92

+11.41

+3.17%

TSLA

394.46

-1.72

-0.43%

AMZN

254.96

+7.47

+3.02%

NFLX

73.68

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Name	Last	Chg. %	Vol.
PYPL	55.52	+17.20%	91.00M
BLK	1,093.40	+6.63%	1.58M
CBRE	141.41	+6.22%	1.91M
KMX	58.94	+5.76%	4.72M
IVZ	30.30	+5.46%	6.27M
BNY	162.35	+5.08%	8.06M
MTCH	40.11	+4.62%	4.41M

Name	Last	Chg. %	Vol.
PNR	64.33	-15.00%	12.05M
ERIE	210.19	-11.86%	641.44K
DELL	412.68	-9.80%	12.96M
PGR	205.22	-9.43%	7.22M
WDC	513.84	-8.78%	7.93M
ELV	390.33	-8.54%	3.90M
SNDK	1,615.00	-8.12%	19.08M

Trending Stocks

Name	Last	Chg. %	Vol.
MU	904.28	-8.02%	54.78M
SNDK	1,615.00	-8.12%	19.08M
SPCX	135.27	-0.60%	58.04M
IBM	211.20	-2.70%	29.59M
NVDA	212.50	+0.33%	124.80M

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