SoftBank Shares Drop Over 9% Following $2 Billion Intel Investment Amid Asian Tech Selloff

SoftBank Group's shares have experienced significant declines over consecutive sessions following the announcement of its $2 billion investment in Intel. This move sparked investor concerns due to the purchase price being close to Intel's recent trading price, contributing to a sharp selloff that ended SoftBank's nine-day winning streak and led to its biggest intraday drop since April. The decline in SoftBank shares coincided with broader downturns in Asian and U.S. technology stocks, including significant drops in semiconductor companies across Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Market volatility is further influenced by investor caution ahead of a key U.S. Federal Reserve meeting and ongoing geopolitical tensions, including talks involving President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy. Despite the general market retreat, some indexes like India’s Nifty 50 saw gains, but the overall trend in the Asia-Pacific region remains down. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is reportedly considering federal government equity stakes in semiconductor firms funded under the CHIPS Act, aiming to bolster the domestic semiconductor industry amid global market challenges.