Asian equity markets opened with divergent signals on Monday, as selling pressure in technology shares dragged down benchmarks in Japan and South Korea.
The weakness in AI-related stocks contrasted with gains in other sectors, leaving regional indices broadly mixed as investors navigated heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
The market turbulence follows a weekend escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran.
Iran launched fresh drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait in response to new US airstrikes, adding a layer of risk to global economic outlooks.
This geopolitical flare-up has compounded existing investor skepticism, particularly in growth-sensitive technology sectors.
The tech-led weakness in Asia mirrors recent volatility seen across the region.