SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday morning as investors across the region braced for Nvidia’s earnings release — a crucial test for the burgeoning “AI bubble” narrative — while Korean markets continued to reel from heavy foreign profit-taking and a weakening won.
South Korea’s KOSPI slipped 0.3 percent to 3,942.1 as of 11 a.m., with investors sidelining ahead of Nvidia’s results due at 6 a.m. Thursday Korea time. Foreign investors sold 530 billion won ($361 million) worth of shares, extending their recent offloading streak. Institutions bought 304.3 billion won, while retail investors picked up 237.1 billion won, maintaining dip-buying patterns.
The won weakened further, with the dollar rising to 1,464.8 won as of 10 a.m. Analysts attribute the currency’s undervaluation to Korea’s expansionary fiscal stance and the Bank of Korea’s limited room for rate hikes amid high household debt — a combination seen pressuring equities and prompting foreign outflows.
Market heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix extended declines. SK hynix — a key supplier to Nvidia — fell 2.11 percent to 558,000 won, hovering near the psychologically important 550,000-won line. Samsung Electronics slid 1.75 percent to 96,000 won.
In contrast, Hyundai Motor–related stocks rose after Hyundai Motor Group announced 125 trillion won in five-year investments for AI and software-defined vehicles (SDVs). Software arm Hyundai Autoever jumped 3.5 percent to 188,000 won.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 recovered from early losses to gain 0.6 percent to 49,000. Semiconductor suppliers with Nvidia exposure extended their slide for a second day: Advantest fell 2.05 percent to 18,865 yen ($121.35), while Ibiden edged down 0.66 percent to 12,040 yen. SoftBank — which fully exited its Nvidia holdings — climbed 2.8 percent to 19,355 yen.
Taiwan’s TAIEX gained 0.32 percent to 26,841, with chip sentiment notably more resilient than in Korea or Japan. TSMC rose 0.36 percent to 1,410 Taiwan dollars ($45.2), while MediaTek added 1.28 percent to 1,185 Taiwan dollars.
China’s Shanghai Composite opened 0.2 percent higher at 3,948, while the Shenzhen Composite gained 0.4 percent to 13,140. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also opened firmer, rising 0.2 percent to 25,980.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
