KB Securities Explains Why KOSPI Is Falling Despite Strong Samsung, SK Hynix Earnings 
US Stock Futures Fall as Netflix Outlook, Chip Selloff and Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Gold Prices Slip Near $4,000 as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Inflation Fears 
Brent Oil Jumps 16% for Best Week Since April as US-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
ECB Expected to Hold Rates as Middle East Tensions Keep September Hike in Focus 
Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
Hong Kong AI Stocks Rally as Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 Launch Boosts Market Optimism 
Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
Deutsche Bank Says Fed Balance Sheet Cuts Could Weaken US Dollar Instead of Boosting It 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Asian stock markets traded cautiously on Monday as escalating tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices above $90 per barrel, fueling inflation concerns and raising expectations that major central banks could keep interest rates higher for longer.
Brent crude jumped 3% after the United States launched a ninth consecutive day of military strikes against Iran, while Tehran continued retaliatory attacks across the region. The surge in energy prices renewed worries that inflation could accelerate despite softer-than-expected U.S. consumer inflation data released last week.
Markets now expect around 29 basis points of Federal Reserve rate hikes by the end of the year, with futures implying a roughly 60% probability of a rate increase as early as September. JPMorgan chief economist Bruce Kasman said the risks are shifting toward an earlier policy tightening than previously anticipated as Fed officials adopt a more hawkish tone.
Higher rate expectations pushed the 30-year U.S. Treasury yield back above the key 5% level, increasing pressure on equity valuations and reducing investor appetite for high-growth technology stocks.
The semiconductor sector remained under pressure after the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index lost 10% last week, leaving it 20% below its June record high. Sentiment also weakened after Chinese AI startup Moonshot introduced its open-weight Kimi K3 model, claiming performance close to Anthropic's frontier AI systems.
Investor attention now turns to earnings from major technology companies, including Alphabet, Intel, and Tesla, which are expected to provide fresh insight into demand for artificial intelligence and semiconductor products.
Despite the recent selloff, Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian expects second-quarter earnings to exceed consensus estimates by about 5%, forecasting overall profit growth of 28%, with semiconductor earnings projected to surge approximately 130% year over year.
S&P 500 futures gained 0.2%, while Nasdaq futures rose 0.4%. Europe also opened slightly firmer, with EURO STOXX 50 and DAX futures adding 0.2%.
MSCI's Asia-Pacific index outside Japan slipped 0.3%, while South Korea's technology-heavy market fell 0.6% after plunging nearly 9% last week. Meanwhile, gold eased 0.6% to $3,993 an ounce as rising bond yields reduced demand for the non-yielding precious metal.
