Global tech market falters amid doubts over AI boom
A sharp fall in shares of AI and chip companies spread across several markets on Thursday.
Follow-up to: Tech sell-off reaches Europe, ASML sharply lower Thursday, 15 October 2026, 14:11
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The global sell-off in technology shares hit Asian and European markets further on Thursday. Investors are questioning whether corporate profits and interest-rate outlooks still justify the steep price rises surrounding artificial intelligence.
The sell-off began earlier on Wall Street before spreading to Asia and Europe. According to AP, South Korea’s Kospi lost 7.6 per cent on Wednesday, while Tokyo’s Nikkei fell 4.9 per cent. Companies benefiting from the construction of AI data centres were particularly affected.
Wall Street initially stabilised on Thursday. The S&P 500 was slightly higher around midday, while the Nasdaq was still losing ground. That difference shows that the movement does not amount to general panic across all stock markets, but is primarily a reassessment of technology companies.
Investors are concerned about the high valuations of AI companies, the large investments in data centres and rising financing costs. There is also doubt about whether some companies’ revenue growth will be fast enough to justify the investments.
The unrest is affecting companies throughout the chain: chipmakers, cloud companies, data-centre operators and suppliers of network equipment. Companies with high levels of debt are particularly sensitive to interest-rate rises, as future investments become more expensive.
A market fall in itself does not mean that the AI sector is structurally overvalued. Prices may rise again if corporate results confirm expectations. For now, the movements mainly point to greater uncertainty and to a market giving back some of its earlier optimism.
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Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The market movements were checked against public reporting, and the text presents causes cautiously. No predictions have been presented as facts.
- confirmed The Kospi lost 7.6 per cent and the Nikkei 4.9 per cent during the global tech sell-off. — Reported by AP. source
- confirmed The Nasdaq fell on Thursday while the S&P 500 rose slightly around midday. — AP reported these levels at around 11.45 a.m. local time. source
- confirmed The sell-off mainly affected AI-related shares. — AP and Reuters describe the movement as a tech- and AI-related sell-off. source
- confirmed High valuations, investment and financing costs are among the concerns cited. — Reuters and AP mention interest rates, data-centre investment and AI valuations as market context. source
Editor's note
The price movements and daily figures mentioned were checked against AP and Reuters. The explanations concerning valuations and interest rates are market interpretations, not established causes.Sources
- Wall Street steadies following jarring drops for AI stocks worldwide — AP
- Stocks and dollar slide as tech rout deepens — Reuters via MarketScreener
- AI tremors felt in corporate bond market — Axios
The story so far
- Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 20:58 US inflation rises to 3.7 per cent
- Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 22:28 Wall Street slides on higher rate fears and AI risk
- Thursday, 15 October 2026, 06:58 Tech sell-off puts Asian markets under pressure
- Thursday, 15 October 2026, 14:11 Tech sell-off reaches Europe, ASML sharply lower
- Thursday, 15 October 2026, 18:14 Global tech market falters amid doubts over AI boom (this article)