Asian and Australian stock markets opened sharply lower on Thursday, 15 October, as unexpectedly strong US inflation figures triggered renewed concerns over interest rates and the valuations of artificial intelligence companies. South Korea and Japan suffered particularly heavy losses, while Australian shares also came under pressure as investors retreated from technology and mining stocks.
South Korea and Japan lead the decline
South Korea’s KOSPI was among the worst-performing major indices, falling approximately 5.6% in early trading before losses deepened towards 8%.
Technology giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix suffered substantial declines as investors reassessed the outlook for semiconductor demand and AI-related investment.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 also opened significantly lower, initially losing around 1.3% before extending its decline to nearly 5% later in the session.
SoftBank, Tokyo Electron and memory-chip producer Kioxia were among the companies affected by the sell-off.
Australia opens in negative territory
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 faced a weaker opening, with futures indicating a decline of approximately 0.2–0.3%.
Mining and technology shares came under pressure, reflecting concerns about global economic growth, financing costs and commodity demand.
The Australian market proved more resilient than its major Asian counterparts, supported by relatively stronger performance among banking and domestic companies.
China and Hong Kong follow regional weakness
Hong Kong and mainland Chinese markets also moved lower as the selling spread across the region.
The Hang Seng declined approximately 1%, while the Shanghai Composite lost around 1.4% during Thursday’s trading.
Taiwan’s technology-heavy market also suffered, with semiconductor companies particularly exposed to the regional downturn.
US inflation unsettles global investors
The immediate catalyst was Wednesday’s US inflation report, which showed consumer prices increasing by 3.7% annually in September, above market expectations.
The figures revived concerns that the Federal Reserve could maintain restrictive monetary policy or consider further interest-rate increases.
Wall Street had already closed lower, with the S&P 500 falling 1.1% and the Nasdaq Composite losing approximately 1.9%.
AI valuations face renewed scrutiny
The latest market turbulence reflects growing concerns about the enormous capital requirements of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Higher borrowing costs could make ambitious investment programmes more expensive, particularly for technology companies relying on continued expansion.
Despite the sell-off, demand for AI infrastructure remains substantial.
Thursday’s opening nevertheless demonstrated how quickly global investor sentiment can change when inflation, interest rates and technology valuations come under pressure simultaneously.
NewsHub Finance | Global Markets | 15 October 2026
Market figures reflect early trading and subsequent morning updates, not final closing prices. Reporting verified against Reuters, Associated Press and Australian market coverage.
Asian and Australian stock markets opened sharply lower on Thursday, 15 October, as unexpectedly strong US inflation figures triggered renewed concerns over interest rates and the valuations of artificial intelligence companies. South Korea and Japan suffered particularly heavy losses, while Australian shares also came under pressure as investors retreated from technology and mining stocks.
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