SK Hynix, SoftBank shares plunge as tech stocks in Asia track Wall Street chip sell-off

The SK Hynix Inc. booth at the Computex 2026 expo in Taipei, Taiwan, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Lam Yik Fei | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAsian technology stocks fell Tuesday as a sell-off in U.S. semiconductor shares spilled into regional markets, with worries over artificial intelligence financing and intensifying competition denting sentiment.Shares of South Korean chip giant SK Hynix, a leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory chips used in artificial intelligence applications, plunged more than 8%, while rival Samsung Electronics shed 6.7% — both hit their lowest levels since August.In Japan, shares of tech-focused investment giant SoftBank Group sank 8.8%. The group, which has significant exposure to the global AI industry, led a broader retreat in Japanese semiconductor and electronics shares. Tokyo Electron, a major supplier of chipmaking equipment, dropped 6.75%, while Advantest, which makes semiconductor testing equipment, declined 5.65%. Other Japanese technology stocks also came under pressure. Lasertec fell 4.94%, Disco lost 4.69% and Renesas Electronics shed 5.64%.The declines followed a weak session for technology stocks on Wall Street, where the Nasdaq Composite dropped...