South Korea’s Kospi index plummeted 5.36% at the open on Thursday, July 2, prompting the Korea Exchange to impose a five-minute trading halt.
The sharp decline marks a significant escalation in selling pressure across Asian equities, driven by renewed concerns that the artificial intelligence rally has outpaced underlying fundamentals.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 also fell sharply, dropping more than 2% as the risk-off sentiment spread across the region.
The selloff was triggered by overnight losses among major US chipmakers, which reignited fears of a broader correction in the technology sector.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 also fell sharply, dropping more than 2% as the risk-off sentiment spread across the region.
The coordinated decline highlights the deep integration of Asian tech markets with US semiconductor valuations.
This move follows a period of sustained volatility in South Korean markets.