Asian Chip Stocks Plummet Amid Intensifying Market Selloff

WHO:

Techmeme - Korean chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are involved in the market selloff.

Bloomberg Markets - Nvidia Corp. is mentioned as a key player in the semiconductor market.

WHAT:

Yahoo Finance - Samsung Electronics fell 13.4%, while SK Hynix dropped 14.7%, marking Samsung's worst one-day decline in almost two decades.

Yahoo Finance - The combined selloff pushed South Korea's KOSPI index down 10.8%, its largest daily decrease since March during the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Yahoo Finance - SK Hynix's U.S.-listed shares closed 7.5% lower at $143.02, marking its first finish below the $149 listing price since its Nasdaq debut earlier in July.

Bloomberg Markets - The Korea Composite Stock Price Index decreased by over 8% at market open.

Fast Company - Shares of Japan's computer memory manufacturer Kioxia plunged more than 18%.

CNBC - SK Hynix shares plunged more than 13%, while Samsung Electronics fell over 12%.

Fast Company - Samsung SDI dropped over 10%, LG Innotek slid nearly 18%, Seoul Semiconductor fell about 7%, and LG Chem lost more than 6%.

ABC News - South Korea's Kospi index has plunged over 9% on heavy selling of chipmaking stocks, dropping to its lowest level since April.

CNBC - Shares of Japan's computer memory manufacturer Kioxia plunged more than 18%.

Fast Company - Micron Technology shares are down 5.6%, Sandisk down 5%, Western Digital down 5%, and Seagate Technology down 4% in premarket trading.

Bloomberg Markets - South Korean stocks suffered a series of trading suspensions due to the selloff in chipmakers.

Fast Company - SK Hynix shares fell more than 14.6%, while Samsung Electronics shares ended down over 13.3%.

Fast Company - Micron Technology shares are down 5.6%, Sandisk down 5%, Western Digital down 5%, and Seagate Technology down 4% in premarket trading.

Fast Company - Nasdaq Futures are down nearly nine-tenths of a percent ahead of the opening bell.

ABC News - South Korea's Kospi index dropped 9.5% to its lowest level since April.

CNBC - Shares of Japan's computer memory manufacturer Kioxia plunged more than 18%.

CNBC - SK Hynix shares plunged more than 13%, while Samsung Electronics fell over 12%.

Bloomberg Markets - South Korean stocks suffered a series of trading suspensions due to the selloff in chipmakers.

CNBC - Japan's chip manufacturer Tokyo Electron dropped almost 11%, and Advantest slid over 10%.

CNBC - SoftBank Group, a major AI investment proxy through its stake in Arm, fell 6.3%.

CNBC - Japan's computer memory manufacturer Kioxia plunged more than 18%.

Bloomberg Markets - South Korean stocks suffered a series of trading suspensions due to the selloff in chipmakers.

ABC News - South Korea's Kospi index plunged more than 9% on heavy selling of chipmaking stocks, dropping 9.5% to its lowest level since April.

CNBC - SK Hynix shares plunged more than 13%, while Samsung Electronics fell over 12%. Other AI-linked names also saw heavy selling, with Samsung SDI dropping over 10%, LG Innotek sliding nearly 18%, Seoul Semiconductor falling about 7%, and LG Chem losing more than 6%.

Techmeme - Samsung Electronics' stock dropped by over 9%.

Techmeme - SK Hynix's stock fell by 11%.

Techmeme - The Korea Composite Stock Price Index decreased by over 8%.

Bloomberg Markets - Japanese and South Korean stocks slid, led by semiconductor shares.

WHERE:

Techmeme - The events are taking place in South Korea.

Bloomberg Markets - The market selloff is affecting both Japanese and South Korean stocks.

WHY:

Yahoo Finance - Investors are assessing concerns about AI-infrastructure financing, semiconductor valuations, and increasing competition from China.

Yahoo Finance - Reports indicate that Chinese companies are developing domestic deep-ultraviolet lithography equipment, raising concerns that Chinese memory producers could expand capacity more rapidly.

CNBC - The sell-off reflects a broader deterioration in sentiment toward semiconductor stocks after recent media reports highlighted China's ambitions in memory chips and lithography equipment.

CNBC - Sundeep Gantori, chief investment officer for equities at Standard Chartered, mentioned broker reports indicating a memory price peak in 2027, which aligns with their view that memory prices are expected to peak next year.

CNBC - The sell-off reflects a broader deterioration in sentiment toward semiconductor stocks after recent media reports highlighted China's ambitions in memory chips and lithography equipment.

Fast Company - Investors are increasingly worried about the uncertainty surrounding the AI industry and the potential for tech companies to scale back AI-focused capital expenditures.

Fast Company - Recent reports indicate Nvidia is considering providing $250 billion in financial guarantees to OpenAI for data center construction, raising concerns about circular financing in the industry.

Fast Company - An unnamed Chinese company has begun manufacturing an immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machine, which could significantly impact the competitive landscape for chip manufacturing.

CNBC - Acadian Asset Management's senior vice president Owen Lamont stated, "Right now we're facing an incredible uncertainty... I think it's going to be rocky no matter what."

CNBC - Acadian Asset Management's senior vice president Owen Lamont stated, "More generally, the entire ecosystem of levered ETFs in Korea, also in Hong Kong and in the United States, are possibly adding volatility and magnifying market fluctuations."

CNBC - The sell-off reflects a broader deterioration in sentiment toward semiconductor stocks after recent media reports highlighted China's ambitions in memory chips and lithography equipment.

Bloomberg Markets - Concerns over Nvidia Corp.’s AI supply deal and increasing competition from Chinese chipmakers are impacting investor sentiment.

HOW:

CNBC - Acadian Asset Management's senior vice president Owen Lamont stated, "No one has any idea how this AI process is going to affect our economy, and so I think it's going to be rocky no matter what."

CNBC - Acadian Asset Management's senior vice president Owen Lamont stated, "Right now we're facing an incredible uncertainty... I think it's going to be rocky no matter what." He also noted that leveraged exchange-traded products could be adding to market swings.

Techmeme - The selloff is characterized by a worsening investor sentiment regarding the artificial intelligence boom.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 22:22 UTC)

Samsung Electronics experienced its worst one-day decline in nearly two decades, plummeting 13.4%, while SK Hynix fell 14.7%, contributing to a significant drop in South Korea's KOSPI index, which fell 10.8%, marking its largest daily decrease since March. SK Hynix's U.S.-listed shares closed at $143.02, down 7.5%, which is the first time they finished below their $149 listing price since debuting on Nasdaq earlier this month. Investors are increasingly worried about AI-infrastructure financing, semiconductor valuations, and heightened competition from China, especially as reports suggest that Chinese companies are advancing in the development of domestic deep-ultraviolet lithography equipment.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 17:25 UTC)

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index saw a significant drop of over 8% at market open, with shares of Japan's Kioxia plunging more than 18%. In addition, SK Hynix shares fell over 13% and Samsung Electronics dropped more than 12%, reflecting a broader decline in semiconductor stocks amid concerns about China's ambitions in the memory chip sector. Experts suggest that the volatility may be exacerbated by the presence of levered ETFs in Korea, Hong Kong, and the United States, which could be magnifying these market fluctuations.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 16:30 UTC)

South Korea's Kospi index has dropped over 9% due to heavy selling of chipmaking stocks, marking its lowest level since April, while Japan's Kioxia saw its shares plunge more than 18%. In premarket trading, major players like Micron Technology, Sandisk, Western Digital, and Seagate Technology experienced declines ranging from 4% to 5.6%. This sell-off reflects a broader negative sentiment towards semiconductor stocks, fueled by media reports on China's ambitions in the memory chip sector and broker predictions of a peak in memory prices expected next year.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 14:45 UTC)

Shares of SK Hynix fell more than 14.6% and Samsung Electronics dropped over 13.3%, while Micron Technology, Sandisk, Western Digital, and Seagate Technology also saw declines in premarket trading. Nasdaq Futures are down nearly nine-tenths of a percent as investors express growing concerns about uncertainty in the AI industry and the possibility of tech companies reducing their AI-related investments. Adding to the tension, reports suggest Nvidia may provide $250 billion in financial guarantees to OpenAI for data center construction, alongside news that an unnamed Chinese company has started manufacturing an immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machine, which could reshape the chip manufacturing landscape.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 10:51 UTC)

South Korea's Kospi index has dropped 9.5%, hitting its lowest level since April, as shares of major chipmakers faced significant declines, with Kioxia plunging more than 18%, SK Hynix down over 13%, and Samsung Electronics falling more than 12%. This selloff has led to a series of trading suspensions in South Korean stocks, reflecting the current market turmoil. Experts like Owen Lamont from Acadian Asset Management are warning of ongoing uncertainty, while Standard Chartered's Sundeep Gantori points to broker reports predicting a peak in memory prices in 2027, suggesting that challenges in the sector may continue into the next year.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 09:50 UTC)

Japan's chip manufacturer Tokyo Electron saw a significant drop of almost 11%, while Advantest slid over 10%, reflecting concerns in the tech sector. Additionally, SoftBank Group, which has a major stake in AI through its investment in Arm, fell by 6.3%. Acadian Asset Management's senior vice president Owen Lamont commented that uncertainty surrounding the impact of AI on the economy suggests a rocky road ahead.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 06:46 UTC)

Japan's computer memory manufacturer Kioxia saw its shares drop by more than 18%, contributing to a wave of trading suspensions for South Korean stocks, particularly among chipmakers. Experts like Owen Lamont from Acadian Asset Management suggest that the ecosystem of leveraged ETFs across Korea, Hong Kong, and the United States may be amplifying market volatility. Additionally, Sundeep Gantori from Standard Chartered pointed to broker reports forecasting a peak in memory prices in 2027, reinforcing expectations that prices will reach their highest point next year.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 05:55 UTC)

South Korea's Kospi index experienced a significant drop, plunging 9.5% to its lowest level since April, largely due to heavy selling of chipmaking stocks. Notably, shares of SK Hynix fell more than 13%, while Samsung Electronics dropped over 12%, alongside declines in other AI-linked companies like Samsung SDI and LG Innotek. This sell-off is attributed to a growing unease in the semiconductor sector, fueled by media reports on China's ambitions in memory chips and lithography equipment, with experts warning of continued market volatility.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 02:51 UTC)

In South Korea, the stock market is experiencing a significant selloff, with Samsung Electronics' stock dropping by over 9% and SK Hynix's stock falling by 11%. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index has decreased by more than 8%, as concerns over Nvidia Corp.'s AI supply deal and rising competition from Chinese chipmakers weigh heavily on investor sentiment. This downturn is not limited to South Korea, as Japanese stocks are also sliding, primarily driven by the decline in semiconductor shares.