SK Hynix shares plunge 13% in Seoul as chip sell-off deepens - CNBC

What the report says

CNBC reported that semiconductor stocks came under heavy pressure Tuesday, with losses that began in Asia spreading into Europe and the United States. In Seoul, SK Hynix ended down 14.65% and Samsung Electronics fell more than 13%, while other South Korean technology and AI-linked shares also declined sharply, including LG Innotek, Samsung SDI, Seoul Semiconductor and LG Chem.

The sell-off was broader than South Korea. CNBC said Japan’s Tokyo Electron and Advantest both dropped by more than 10%, Kioxia fell more than 18%, and SoftBank Group declined 4.43%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. closed nearly 3% lower, while mainland China’s ChiNext 300 and a Hong Kong-listed semiconductor index also posted steep declines. In Europe, ASML and other chip-equipment names weakened after a report that a Chinese company was producing an immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machine, a segment where ASML is a leading supplier.

U.S. chip names also struggled. CNBC reported that Intel closed almost 6% lower, AMD fell 8%, Micron and Seagate lost more than 8%, Western Digital dropped nearly 7%, and Sandisk slid 14%. Nvidia opened lower but recovered to finish little changed. The moves followed earlier weakness in the VanEck Semiconductor ETF and several U.S. chip stocks.

The declines matter because investors increasingly link Asian memory and equipment suppliers to the U.S.-led AI spending cycle. CNBC cited market commentators who pointed to uncertainty around AI’s economic impact, possible volatility from leveraged exchange-traded products, concerns about China’s semiconductor ambitions, and debate over when memory prices may peak.