SK Hynix shares ticked up after the board disclosed plans to distribute 80% of the proceeds from the sale of its Kioxia stake as a special dividend.
The move follows a sharp sell‑off in AI‑linked stocks across the region, with the MSCI Asia Pacific index down 0.2% and major tech names like Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon set to report earnings later this week.
Analysts suggest that the chipmaker’s decision to return cash to shareholders may signal a recalibration of valuation expectations in a sector still weighing AI investments against shareholder returns.
Meanwhile, the Asian equity market opened mixed: the Nikkei 225 added 0.23%, the Topix climbed 0.65%, and the Hang Seng futures remained flat. The yen held at 156.94 per dollar, while the offshore yuan traded at 6.6686.
Oil prices slipped, with Brent crude falling 1% to $115.35 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate dropping 1.1% to $102.10, reflecting tighter supply expectations that add to market volatility.
Central bank meetings are also on traders’ radar – the Fed, Bank of Japan and the ECB are expected to hold rates, a stance that could influence risk appetite and further shape the region’s market trajectory.