Asian equity markets showed mixed performance on Tuesday, reflecting divergent forces in technology and energy sectors. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.8% in early trading, reaching 63,993.22, buoyed by a rebound in SoftBank Group shares.
AI stocks under pressure
SoftBank, a major investor in OpenAI, surged more than 8% after recouping overnight losses. The rally followed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s interview with Fortune, in which he indicated the company may postpone a Wall Street stock sale until next year, delaying a potential cash influx for early investors.
Despite SoftBank’s bounce, broader AI equities remain subdued. Analyst Dario Amodei of Anthropic called for a deliberate global slowdown in AI development, citing safety concerns, including the risk of AI coordinating a swarm of agents capable of seizing the internet within six to twelve months. SpaceX, which derives part of its revenue from AI contracts, fell 2% after Elon Musk expressed agreement with Amodei’s caution.
Other AI‑related names also slipped. Nvidia, a key supplier of chips for AI model training, dropped 3.4%, becoming the largest weight on Wall Street’s losses on Monday.
Energy markets lift crude
Oil prices continued their upward trajectory as fighting in the Middle East constricts global crude flow. An important Saudi pipeline, used to divert exports to the Red Sea and bypass the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to remain out of service for weeks following a recent attack, according to two regional officials.
Benchmark U.S. crude rose 1.36% to $102.77 a barrel, while Brent crude gained 1.17% to $106.92 a barrel.
U.S. market impact
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 152 points, or 0.3%, to 52,421.20, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.6% to 26,186.41 after clawing back most of an early loss. The S&P 500 declined 37 points to 7,619.98.
U.S. Treasury yields briefly breached the 5.00% level on the 10‑year note before pulling back to 4.98% as oil prices moderated.
Currency movements
The U.S. dollar edged higher to 154.81 Japanese yen, up from 154.30 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1537 from $1.1557.
These mixed signals underscore the ongoing tension between rapid AI advancement and the need for prudent safety measures, while geopolitical risks keep energy markets on an upward path.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
