Asian markets took a severe beating on Friday as fears about AI investment limits spread from a US tech sell-off. South Korea's Kospi index plunged over 8%, triggering a trading halt, while Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped about 6% and Taiwan's Taiex fell roughly 8%. The selloff followed Democrats winning control of both the House and Senate in US midterm elections, with investors worried that new leadership could block construction of AI data centers. Asian semiconductor and electronics suppliers, which depend on AI component demand, bore the worst of the losses.
On the consumer side, AI-powered scams are becoming increasingly difficult to detect. Reports show people over 60 lost about $3 billion in scams in 2025, a sharp jump from $600 million in 2020. Younger generations are also falling victim more often. The FTC reported over $330 million in scam losses this year alone. Scammers now use AI to generate convincing fake videos and audio, employing a three-part method called ping, zing, and sting to trick targets. Consumers are fighting back by using ChatGPT to analyze suspicious messages and identify risk signals, treating the tool as a calm second voice before making decisions.
On the business front, NVIDIA unveiled its Vera Rubin NVL72 platform, which improves AI performance by using memory more efficiently rather than simply adding more hardware. The system packs 72 Rubin GPUs and 36 Vera CPUs into a single liquid-cooled rack connected by NVLink 6. NVIDIA claims agentic throughput per dollar increased up to 30 times compared with earlier systems, with partners like Cloudian and DDN helping manage data across memory and storage tiers.
Merge, an AI agent startup, relies on OpenAI models to power its infrastructure. Its dinner planning bot handles guest lists, seating charts, and calendar notes, cutting event planning from dozens of hours down to 30 minutes. Merge says its system succeeds 99.9% of the time, far outpacing the 60% success rate of other public servers, though human employees still review all AI output before final decisions. Meanwhile, Nan Ya Plastics reported its highest monthly revenue in nearly five years, earning about US$1.1 billion in October 2026, driven by surging demand for materials used in AI servers and data centers.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>Asian markets plunged over 8% in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan after Democrats won US midterms, sparking fears of limits on AI data center construction</li><li>People over 60 lost approximately $3 billion to AI-powered scams in 2025, up from $600 million in 2020</li><li>The FTC reported over $330 million in scam losses this year as scammers use AI-generated audio and video</li><li>Consumers are turning to ChatGPT to analyze suspicious messages and identify AI-driven scams</li><li>NVIDIA's Vera Rubin NVL72 platform claims up to 30x improvement in agentic throughput per dollar over earlier systems</li><li>Merge uses OpenAI models to power an AI agent system that succeeds 99.9% of the time, compared to 60% for other public servers</li><li>Nan Ya Plastics earned about US$1.1 billion in October 2026, with electronic materials sales jumping 104.7% year-over-year</li><li>Hartford plans an AI training hub at 10 Constitution Plaza through a $100,000 annual sublease from Trinity College</li><li>365 Data Science is offering free access to 134 AI courses through November 20, 2026</li><li>Evident Vascular received FDA clearance for its AI-powered intravascular ultrasound imaging platform</li></ul>
Asian markets plunge as AI investment fears spread after US election
Asian stock markets dropped sharply on Friday after a tech sell-off in the US. South Korea's Kospi index fell over 8%, Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped about 6%, and Taiwan's Taiex declined about 8%. The sell-off was driven by fears that newly elected Democratic officials could slow the AI investment boom. Asian tech companies that supply semiconductors for AI data centers were hit hard.
Asian markets tumble as Democrats win midterms and AI spending faces limits
Stock markets in Asia fell sharply on Friday following a tech-led decline in the US. South Korea's Kospi dropped more than 8%, triggering a trading halt, while Japan's Nikkei 225 fell about 6% and Taiwan's Taiex declined about 8%. Democrats won control of the House and Senate in the US midterm elections, raising concerns they could block new AI data center construction. Asian tech companies that supply components for AI data centers bore the brunt of the selling.
AI trade collapses as Taiwan records record fall and Korea halts trading
Asian markets tied to the AI boom sold off sharply on Friday after a technology rout on Wall Street. South Korea's Kospi fell more than 8%, forcing a trading halt, while Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped about 6% and Taiwan suffered its steepest one-day fall ever. Democrats swept the US midterm elections, taking control of both chambers of Congress, and investors feared they would block AI data center construction. Asian chip and electronics suppliers that rely on demand for AI components were hit hardest.
AI scams are getting harder to spot, but here is how to protect yourself
AI tools can now generate realistic videos and audio cheaply, making scams harder to detect. People over 60 lost about $3 billion in scams in 2025, up from $600 million in 2020. Younger generations are also increasingly falling for certain scams. Experts recommend using codewords to verify identities, ignoring urgent messages, and checking account ages on social media. The key is to assume anything can now be convincingly faked.
Consumers are using ChatGPT to fight back against AI-powered scams
Scammers are using AI to make more complex scams, but consumers are now using ChatGPT to spot them. The FTC reported over $330 million in losses from scams this year. Open AI says scammers use a three-part method called ping, zing, and sting to trick people. ChatGPT can analyze suspicious messages and identify risk signals to help people decide if something is a scam. Experts recommend using AI tools as a calm second voice to avoid emotional manipulation.
Merge relies on OpenAI for reliable AI agent tools
Merge CEO Shensi Ding highlighted how the company uses OpenAI models to build its AI agent infrastructure. The startup created a dinner planning bot that handles guest lists, seating charts, and calendar notes for sales teams. This tool reduced event planning time from dozens of hours to just 30 minutes and helped host 16 executive dinners in the third quarter. Merge claims its system succeeds 99.9% of the time, which is much better than the 60% success rate of other public servers. However, human employees still review and edit the AI output before sending emails or making final decisions.
AI demand drives Nan Ya Plastic to record sales
Nan Ya Plastics Corp reported its highest monthly revenue in nearly 55 months during October 2026. The company earned NT$34.9 billion, which is about US$1.1 billion, representing a 64.6% increase from the previous year. Sales of electronic materials jumped 104.7% and now make up 61.5% of the total revenue. This growth comes from rising demand for advanced materials needed in AI servers and data centers. The company is running its production lines near full capacity while developing next-generation products for future computing needs.
Evident Vascular gets FDA approval for new AI imaging
Evident Vascular received US FDA clearance for its high-fidelity AI-powered intravascular ultrasound imaging platform. The new system uses proprietary dynamic frequency control technology to create clear images inside blood vessels. This innovation helps physicians measure vessels and make better decisions during medical procedures. CEO Howard Rosen stated that the platform delivers the image quality doctors need in an easy-to-use system. The technology optimizes resolution and penetration to provide detailed views across different vessel sizes and depths.
Tencent stock rises as Hy4 AI joins product line
Tencent Holdings stock received a positive boost after Hy4 expanded its AI technology into Tencent's product ecosystem. Hy4 specializes in using artificial intelligence to analyze and predict market trends. Analysts believe this partnership will improve Tencent's products and services, leading to better stock performance. A Tencent spokesperson expressed excitement about Hy4 joining their team and contributing to their development goals. Investors are now watching closely to see how this new technology impacts the company's growth in the coming months.
365 Data Science offers free AI courses until Nov 20
365 Data Science is offering unlimited free access to its entire learning platform through November 20, 2026. The special promotion includes 134 courses, hands-on projects, and industry-recognized certifications for anyone who joins. This initiative is in its sixth year and aims to help people learn essential skills in AI engineering and intelligent agents. Over 220,000 users from 216 countries participated in the previous year, completing millions of minutes of learning. Participants can earn certificates that validate their skills in data analytics and machine learning to help them find jobs.
Hartford seeks $100K-a-year sublease from Trinity College for downtown AI training hub
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam is asking the City Council to approve a $100,000 annual sublease from Trinity College for space at 10 Constitution Plaza. The space would host AI training and workforce programs for residents, workers and small businesses. It would act as the headquarters for the planned Hartford Innovation Center, a 100,000-square-foot facility backed by $20 million in state funding. The sublease would run for up to three years with renewal options.
NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 Platform Squeezes More From Memory
NVIDIA says its Vera Rubin NVL72 platform improves AI performance by using memory more efficiently instead of simply adding more. The system places 72 Rubin GPUs and 36 Vera CPUs in one liquid-cooled rack connected by NVLink 6. NVIDIA claims agentic throughput per dollar rose up to 30x compared with earlier systems. Partners including Cloudian, DDN and Dynamo help manage data across GPU memory, CPU memory and storage.
AI Crashes. What To Do Now
The AI stock trade has turned into a sharp sell-off, with all three major market indexes falling and the Nasdaq down over 5%. Companies building AI data centers were hit hard, including Comfort Systems USA, Modine Manufacturing and Sterling Infrastructure. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index also dropped to a six-month low. The article points to Tuesday's election as the catalyst for the sudden market decline.
Sources
- Asian markets follow US rout as AI investment jitters spread
- Asian markets follow US rout as AI investment jitters spread
- AI Trade Unwinds: Taiwan Suffers Record Plunge, Korea Halts Trading as Democrats Sweep Midterms
- AI scams are everywhere — and they’re slick. Here’s how to protect yourself and your family.
- The unexpected new way consumers are protecting themselves from scams
- Merge bets its agent plumbing on OpenAI
- AI demand doubles Nan Ya Plastic's October electronic materials sales | Taiwan News
- Evident Vascular receives US FDA clearance for high-fidelity AI-powered IVUS imaging platform
- Tencent stock gets fresh AI catalyst as Hy4 expands into products
- Free AI and Data Courses with 365 Data Science: 100% Unlimited Access until Nov 20
- Hartford seeks $100K-a-year sublease from Trinity College for downtown AI training hub
- NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 Platform Squeezes More From Memory
- AI Crashes. What To Do Now
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