Asian stock markets recorded significant losses on November 6, 2026, following a sharp sell-off on Wall Street as investors raised concerns about rising artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure spending and potential restrictions on data centre construction.

South Korea experienced the steepest decline among major Asian markets, with the KOSPI falling more than 8% below the 5,000 mark, while the KOSDAQ dropped over 7%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined more than 2%, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.9%.

Technology stocks led the regional downturn. Shares of South Korean semiconductor companies SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics fell more than 7% each. Japan's Advantest declined 12.2%, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) dropped 9.6%.

The losses followed a weak US trading session, where the Nasdaq Composite fell 5.5%, the S&P 500 declined 4.4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 3.4%. Technology companies, including Micron and AMD, also recorded substantial declines.

Investors are increasingly assessing whether massive AI infrastructure investments can generate sustainable returns amid concerns about spending levels and data centre development restrictions. Market participants are also monitoring US employment data for further indications of economic conditions and market direction.