Asia Stocks Pull Back From Record Highs on AI Disruption Fears; KOSPI Slips Nearly 4%

Asia stocks retreated sharply from record highs this week as fears over AI disruption and a global tech sell-off spread through regional markets, triggering one of the largest single-day declines in major Asian indexes in months. South Korea’s KOSPI led the declines, sliding nearly 4 percent, while other key benchmarks across Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Australia also moved lower. Investors reacted to renewed concerns about stretched tech valuations, global growth uncertainty, and profit-taking in technology and semiconductor shares.