On Monday (19 October, 9:28 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), most major indices in the Asia-Pacific declined, with investor sentiment rattled by renewed concerns over the sustainability of artificial intelligence sector growth and heightened tensions around global energy infrastructure.
Stocks tied to AI triggered volatility after reports emerged that Anthropic’s third-quarter revenue rose to $16.8 billion, signaling moderation in the segment’s expansion following earlier rapid gains. The market response was intensified by CoreWeave’s sharp selloff: the shares plunged by 25% last week, marking its steepest weekly drop since November 2025.
Meanwhile, earnings announcements this week from leading U.S. technology firms, including Tesla and Meta Platforms, are expected to play a pivotal role in guiding sentiment toward the AI sector. Some anticipate that persistent inflation concerns in the U.S. and instability across technology markets could propagate turbulence throughout equities more broadly.
Investors also monitored further risks as tension rose in the energy sector. Recent attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf and Ukraine’s strike on a Russian oil terminal in St. Petersburg have pushed longer-term oil futures higher. Market participants are pricing in the possibility that disruptions to energy infrastructure could persist into 2027, deepening uncertainty.
In a parallel development, Iranian national security officials on Sunday noted potential new military response plans should U.S. or Israeli forces undertake further operations, following a spike in attacks on shipping around the Arabian Peninsula.
Notably, markets in Hong Kong were closed for a holiday.
Japan’s NIKKEI fell by 1.21% to 64,534.83. South Korea’s KOSPI lost 0.36% to 5,647.73, while Australia’s ASX 200 rose by 0.33% to 8,835.80.
Shanghai’s SSEC decreased by 0.31% to 3,704.69, and Shenzhen’s SZI contracted by 0.79% to 11,709.34.
The U.S. stock markets edged down on Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) shrank by 0.34% to 52,002.41. NASDAQ slumped by 2.15% to 26,140.03, and S&P 500 plunged by 1.09% to 7,659.44. VIX soared by 21.45% to 19.99.
As for commodities, oil prices settled higher on Friday as rising geopolitical instability in the Middle East raised concerns of diminished supply, with investors evaluating the potential volume of diesel exports available from Russia. Brent crude futures ended the session up $3.94, or 3.7%, at $109.86 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also advanced, gaining $3.44, or 3.5%.
At the start of the week, the benchmarks retreated as President Donald Trump announced waivers on sanctions and tariffs against Russia, a move that could spur additional fuel exports into global markets. Brent futures dropped $1.89, or 1.72%, to $107.97 per barrel, and WTI futures lost 80 cents, or 0.79%, to $100.61 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures added 0.36% to $4,196.20 per Troy ounce.
