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Investors are closely watching the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, with policymakers expected to keep rates unchanged at 3.50%–3.75%. Markets will focus on Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s comments for clues on inflation and the outlook for future rate cuts. After the close, Microsoft and Meta will report earnings, with investors watching AI spending, cloud growth, advertising revenue, and profit margins. The results and Fed guidance are expected to set the near-term direction for stocks, crypto, and broader financial markets.

Asian stock markets tumbled as South Korea’s KOSPI, Japan’s Nikkei 225, and Taiwan’s TAIEX erased more than $950 billion in combined market value. The selloff was driven by concerns over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, fears surrounding China’s semiconductor industry, and continued weakness in AI-related stocks. KOSPI fell 10.8%, extending its decline to 41% over the past 37 days, while the Nikkei 225 and TAIEX also posted sharp losses as investors reduced risk across the region.

The Nikkei 225 dropped more than 1,700 points in early trading, hitting an intraday low of 60,448.90 before trimming losses. The selloff was driven by weakness in semiconductor stocks, concerns over slowing AI-related demand, and fears of an unwind in the yen carry trade as the Japanese yen hovered near a 40-year low against the U.S. dollar. The decline followed sharp losses across Asia, with South Korea’s KOSPI also coming under heavy pressure after recent circuit breakers.

SpaceX stock price fell to a record low of $108.66, nearly 50% below its post-IPO peak, as investors weighed several near-term risks. Concerns include the August 4 earnings report, the August 6 insider lock-up expiry, which could release billions of dollars’ worth of shares for sale, and continued worries over the company’s high valuation and heavy spending on Starlink and Starship. Investors are looking for signs of improving profitability as the company continues to invest heavily in future growth.

A Hyperliquid perpetual contract tied to SK Hynix briefly plunged 17.9% after an unusual pre-market trade in South Korea’s NXT market incorrectly priced a SK Hynix share at KRW 1.272 million. The move triggered a trading halt in the underlying market, while the Hyperliquid contract followed the price through its oracle before recovering alongside Binance markets. Hyperliquid said the contract was deployed by third-party team XYZ, which is investigating the incident under the platform’s HIP-3 framework.

SK Hynix stock fell below $140, with its U.S.-listed ADR trading at $139.45, down 11.89% over the past 24 hours, as South Korea’s KOSPI Index plunged more than 8%. The sharp selloff triggered a 20-minute trading halt, marking the market’s eighth circuit breaker of 2026. Weakness in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, driven by concerns over AI infrastructure spending, chip demand, and global semiconductor competition, weighed heavily on the benchmark index.

Palantir PLTR stock Price remains under pressure despite reporting 85% year-over-year revenue growth in the first quarter and raising its 2026 revenue guidance to $7.66 billion. The company continues to benefit from strong demand for its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) and new U.S. defence contracts, but investors remain cautious over its high valuation and slower international commercial growth. Analysts are watching whether the stock can reclaim key technical resistance levels after its recent pullback.

SpaceX stock has fallen nearly 50% from its June 16 high after a strong post-IPO rally, driven by profit-taking, valuation concerns, and upcoming lockup expirations. Despite the decline, TipRanks top-rated analyst Mike Zaccardi upgraded the stock to Buy, saying similar pullbacks have historically created long-term opportunities. He believes much of the lockup risk is already priced in, with the August 4 earnings report seen as a potential catalyst for a recovery.

The South Korea stock market extended its decline as heavy selling hit major chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Investor sentiment weakened over concerns about the sustainability of AI-related spending, rising Brent crude oil prices, and uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs. The combined pressures weighed on technology shares and pushed the KOSPI lower for another session.