Asia-Pacific markets concluded the trading session predominantly in the red on Wednesday, mirroring the downturn observed, as apprehensions regarding the valuations of artificial intelligence exerted continued pressure on technology stocks. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index concluded the trading session at 48,537.7, reflecting a decline of 0.34%. Meanwhile, the Topix experienced a slight decrease of 0.17%, settling at 3,245.58. The yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds increased by approximately 2 basis points, reaching 1.759%, marking the highest level since 2007. The yield on the 20-year government bond increased by nearly 3 basis points to 2.811%, marking the highest level since 1999. Meanwhile, the 30-year bond yield climbed almost 4 basis points to reach 3.334%, remaining close to record highs.

The technology sector exerted downward pressure on the Nikkei 225 index during early trading, primarily influenced by a decline in semiconductor testing equipment manufacturer Advantest, which experienced a drop exceeding 4%, before reducing its losses to finish 0.57% lower. Semiconductor firm Renesas concluded the session with a decline of 3.02%. South Korea’s Kospi index experienced a decline of 0.61%, settling at 3,929.51, while the small-cap Kosdaq saw a decrease of 0.84%, closing at 871.32. Major players Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix continued their downward trajectory, closing 1.33% and 1.4% lower, respectively. Australia’s ASX/S&P 200 experienced a decline of 0.25%, settling at 8,447.9.

The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong experienced a decline of 0.33%, whereas the mainland CSI 300 saw an increase of 0.44%. Xiaomi’s shares listed in Hong Kong experienced a decline exceeding 4% following the company’s announcement on Tuesday regarding anticipated increases in smartphone prices for 2026. This projection is attributed to escalating costs of memory chips driven by surging demand for AI technologies. India’s Nifty 50 and Sensex index shifted direction to record increases of 0.43% and 0.45%, respectively. U.S. equity futures exhibited minimal movement during the early hours in Asia, following a decline in the key indexes on Tuesday in the domestic market. In the latest trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a decline of 498.50 points, representing a decrease of 1.07%, concluding at 46,091.74. The S&P 500 experienced a decline of 0.83%, concluding the trading session at 6,617.32. The broad-based index experienced its fourth consecutive losing session, marking its longest decline since August.

The Nasdaq Composite experienced a decline of 1.21%, concluding the session at 22,432.85. The session witnessed a decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for the fourth consecutive day, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite experienced its fifth negative day in six sessions. Bitcoin experienced a temporary decline beneath the $90,000 mark, indicating a decrease in risk appetite among investors.