Asian Markets Plunge as Tech Selloff Spreads From Wall Street

Asian stock markets fell sharply Friday, extending a selloff from Wall Street, with technology shares hit hardest. Trading was halted on Seoul's exchange after the Kospi index dropped over 8 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell more than 7 percent, with one fund manager calling it as extreme as the dot-com bubble. Analysts cite the Democrats' midterm election victory, which could tighten regulations on data center construction, as a key cause. Oslo Børs opens at 9 a.m., but Nordea's investment director Robert Næss expects a less dramatic impact due to strong oil prices and few tech stocks. Market experts describe the situation as reaching a panic-selling stage.