Investing.com-- Most Asian stocks fell on Wednesday, as technology shares, particularly chipmakers, were battered by a weak outlook from industry bellwether ASML.
Cooling optimism over Chinese stimulus measures also weighed, with Chinese markets mostly extending steep losses from the prior session.
Regional markets took a weak lead-in from Wall Street, as a fall in heavyweight chipmaking stocks dragged U.S. benchmarks from record highs. U.S. stock index futures were steady in Asian trade, with focus on more upcoming third-quarter earnings reports.
Asian tech, chip stocks dip tracking weak ASML outlook
Tech-heavy indexes were the worst performers in Asia, especially those with a heavy weightage of chipmaking stocks.
Japan’sNikkei 225 index slid 1.9%, weighed by a 13% fall in Lasertec Corp (TYO:6920) and a 10% drop in Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TYO:8035), while South Korea’s KOSPI shed 0.7% on losses in SK Hynix Inc (KS:000660) and Samsung Electronics (LON:0593xq) Co Ltd (KS:005930).
Chipmakers tracked declines in their U.S. peers after lithographic equipment maker ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML) posted weaker-than-expected sales guidance for 2025, citing soft demand in sectors not exposed to artificial intelligence.
The Dutch company is a leading supplier of cutting-edge chipmaking equipment, and acts as a bellwether for the sector. ASML’s U.S. shares (NASDAQ:ASML) slid 16% in overnight trade.
Taiwan’s TSMC (TW:2330) (NYSE:TSM)- the world’s biggest chipmaker- fell 2% in Taipei trade, tracking losses in ASML. TSMC is also considered as a bellwether for the industry, and is set to report its third-quarter earnings on Thursday.
Losses in tech, coupled with a weak lead-in from Wall Street, weighed on most Asian markets.
Australia’s ASX 200 fell 0.3% from record highs, weighed by a 1% drop in Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) after the miner’s quarterly production figures underwhelmed. Peer BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP)- which will report its September quarter figures on Thursday- also shed around 1%.
Futures for India’s Nifty 50 index pointed to a weak open, as the index struggled to make headway beyond 25,000 points. A string of major Indian earnings are due this week.
Chinese stocks struggle as stimulus boost fades
China’s Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes fell 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively, extending steep losses from the prior session. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell slightly, although local tech stocks mostly ducked losses in their global peers.
While optimism over more stimulus in China, especially fiscal measures, had initially boosted local stocks, they swiftly unwound this rally as Beijing failed to provide clear details on the timing and scale of the planned measures.
Weak economic readings from China also furthered the case for more government support, as growth in the country’s key exports fell sharply, while disinflation persisted in September.