{"id":64686,"date":"2026-07-13T03:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T07:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-shaken-by-asian-equity-rout-and-energy-supply-shifts\/64686\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T03:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T07:08:15","slug":"global-markets-shaken-by-asian-equity-rout-and-energy-supply-shifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-shaken-by-asian-equity-rout-and-energy-supply-shifts\/64686\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets Shaken by Asian Equity Rout and Energy Supply Shifts"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>South Korea\u2019s KOSPI (<a href=\"\/stock\/KS11\">KS11<\/a>) plummeted 8.95%<\/strong>, triggering a circuit breaker as major tech leaders like <strong>Samsung Electronics<\/strong> and <strong>SK Hynix<\/strong> saw double-digit declines.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chinese equity markets suffered a broad selloff<\/strong>, with the <strong>Beijing Stock Exchange 50 Index<\/strong> dropping 6.3% and the <strong>ChiNext Composite<\/strong> sliding nearly 5% amid a technology-led rout.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China has blocked helium exports<\/strong>, a critical gas for semiconductor manufacturing, citing supply squeezes exacerbated by regional conflicts affecting global trade routes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>South Korea announced a record 800 trillion won ($531B) budget for 2027<\/strong>, funded by an expected tax windfall from the AI chip industry to support its new &quot;Future Response Fund.&quot;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Russia targeted Ukrainian military cargo facilities<\/strong> at the Chornomorsk port, while Polish fuel importer <strong>Unimot<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/UNT\">UNT<\/a>) secured a critical crude shipment for the German PCK Schwedt refinery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Asian Markets Plunge Amid Tech Volatility<\/h2>\n<p>Asian equity markets experienced a severe downturn on Monday, July 13, 2026, led by a historic collapse in South Korean and Chinese indices. The <strong>KOSPI (<a href=\"\/stock\/KS11\">KS11<\/a>)<\/strong> fell <strong>8.95%<\/strong> to close at 6,806.93, its lowest level since late April. The selloff was so intense that it triggered a <strong>first-stage circuit breaker<\/strong>, halting trading for 20 minutes after a &quot;sidecar&quot; measure failed to stabilize the market. Heavyweights Samsung Electronics (<a href=\"\/stock\/005930\">005930<\/a>) and SK Hynix (<a href=\"\/stock\/000660\">000660<\/a>) both plunged more than <strong>10%<\/strong>, as investors questioned the sustainability of the AI-driven chip boom.<\/p>\n<p>In China, the selloff was equally aggressive. The <strong>Beijing Stock Exchange 50 Index<\/strong> dropped <strong>6.3%<\/strong>, while the <strong>ChiNext Composite<\/strong> and <strong>STAR50 Index<\/strong> fell nearly <strong>5%<\/strong> and <strong>4%<\/strong> respectively. Tech-heavy sectors led the decline, with over 4,500 stocks trading in the red. Analysts noted that the market is shifting toward &quot;earnings validation&quot; as the interim reporting season peaks, leading to sharp corrections in high-valuation technology names.<\/p>\n<h2>China Weaponizes Helium Exports<\/h2>\n<p>Adding to the semiconductor industry&#39;s woes, <strong>China has temporarily blocked the export of helium<\/strong>, a gas essential for cooling supercomputers and advanced chip production equipment. The move comes as global supplies are already squeezed by the war in Iran and disruptions in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, which have curtailed exports from Qatar\u2014the world\u2019s largest producer. While China only accounts for roughly 15% of global helium production, its decision to halt outbound shipments is seen as a strategic move to protect its domestic high-tech industry amid a tightening global market.<\/p>\n<h2>South Korea\u2019s Record Budget and Future Fund<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the market turmoil, the South Korean government is doubling down on its long-term technology strategy. Budget Minister <strong>Park Hong-geun<\/strong> announced a record <strong>800 trillion won ($531 billion)<\/strong> budget for 2027. The spending plan relies on an anticipated tax windfall exceeding <strong>500 trillion won<\/strong>, driven by the booming AI chip industry. President <strong>Lee Jae Myung<\/strong> confirmed that excess revenue will be funneled into a newly established <strong>Future Response Fund<\/strong>, designed to invest in youth, regional development, and emerging growth engines to maintain global AI dominance.<\/p>\n<h2>Energy Logistics and Geopolitical Tensions<\/h2>\n<p>In Europe, the Polish fuel group <strong>Unimot<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/UNT\">UNT<\/a>) announced it will move a seaborne <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">crude oil<\/a> shipment from <strong>Gda\u0144sk\u2019s Naftoport<\/strong> to the <strong>PCK Refinery in Schwedt<\/strong>, Germany, using the <strong>PERN<\/strong> pipeline network this July. This logistical maneuver is critical for the Schwedt refinery, which has struggled to secure stable supplies since the move away from Russian crude.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously, the <strong>Russian Defence Ministry<\/strong> claimed a successful strike on Ukrainian military cargo facilities at the <strong>Chornomorsk port<\/strong> near Odesa. Moscow asserts the facilities were used to store Western-supplied fuel and lubricants. In response to escalating hybrid threats, French Foreign Minister <strong>Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot<\/strong> announced that the Russian Ambassador to Paris will be summoned following a series of cyber operations targeting France and other European nations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways South Korea\u2019s KOSPI (KS11) plummeted 8.95%, triggering a circuit breaker as major tech leaders like Samsung Electronics and 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