Shares skid in Asia in sell-off of AI-related shares as Brent oil trades near $100 per barrel

Shares skidded in Asia as investors sold AI-related stocks amid oil prices edging near $100 per barrel and broader risk concerns. In Bangkok, the selling followed Brent crude’s sharp jump to the highest level since May, after renewed heavy fighting in the Middle East raised fears of disruptions to global oil and gas flows. U.S. futures were mixed after Alphabet and Tesla both posted sharp declines, contributing to the worst U.S. market loss in about a month. The uncertainty was compounded by renewed U.S. tariff activity, with Section 301 import taxes of 10% to 12.5% covering about 60 partners and linked to forced-labor enforcement. Currency pressure also increased, with the dollar near a 40-year high versus the yen. South Korea’s Kospi fell 5.7%, Samsung dropped 7.6%, and SoftBank slid 7.4%.