{"slug": "asian-shares-plunge-as-traders-sell-to-lock-in-profits-after-recent-rallies-by", "title": "Asian shares plunge as traders sell to lock in profits after recent rallies driven by AI", "summary": "Asian shares plunged Friday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 falling 4.4% and South Korea's Kospi dropping 7.7%, as traders sold to lock in profits from recent AI-driven rallies. The declines followed record highs earlier this week and a mixed U.S. session where AI stocks fluctuated and Apple shares fell after price hikes.", "body_md": "BANGKOK (AP) — Shares plunged Friday in Asia, led by heavy losses in Japan and South Korea as traders sold to lock in gains from recent rallies in stocks related to artificial intelligence.\n\nTokyo's Nikkei 225 index shed 4.4% and the Kospi in Seoul plunged 7.7%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.9% and the Shanghai Composite index slipped 2.1%.\n\nThe movements were typical of recent volatility as investors react to developments in the AI sector.\n\nBoth the Nikkei and Kospi hit record highs earlier this week.\n\nOn Thursday, the U.S. stock market drifted to a mixed finish after several AI stocks veered back up the roller coaster, while Apple shares dropped after the company hiked prices on many of its products.\n\nThe Associated Press", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/asian-shares-plunge-as-traders-sell-to-lock-in-profits-after-recent-rallies-by", "canonical_source": "https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-shares-plunge-traders-sell-043548323.html", "published_at": "2026-06-26 04:35:48+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-26 05:06:26.528522+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-startups", "ai-products"], "entities": ["Nikkei 225", "Kospi", "Hang Seng", "Shanghai Composite", "Apple"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/asian-shares-plunge-as-traders-sell-to-lock-in-profits-after-recent-rallies-by", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/asian-shares-plunge-as-traders-sell-to-lock-in-profits-after-recent-rallies-by.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/asian-shares-plunge-as-traders-sell-to-lock-in-profits-after-recent-rallies-by.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/asian-shares-plunge-as-traders-sell-to-lock-in-profits-after-recent-rallies-by.jsonld"}}