Asian stocks fall as Nvidia earnings loom; KOSPI, Nikkei lead tech selloff

Asian stocks fell Tuesday as South Korea's KOSPI and Japan's Nikkei 225 led a technology selloff ahead of Nvidia's earnings report. The KOSPI dropped up to 3.7% before paring losses to about 1.8%, while the Nikkei fell 0.8% to 64,980, marking its third straight decline. South Korean chipmakers bore the brunt, with Samsung Electronics losing about 2.5% and SK Hynix falling 4.6%. Foreign investors sold a net 2.11 trillion won of Korean shares. Samsung's shareholder return plan of 90-110 trillion won disappointed investors seeking clearer buyback commitments. In Japan, Advantest fell 3.6%, Kioxia dropped 2.8%, and Panasonic declined 4%. Nvidia's Wednesday report is the key catalyst, with expectations centered on about $92 billion in quarterly revenue. Oil prices eased, with Brent around $92.08 per barrel, while US Treasury yields slipped. Markets also await Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's Jackson Hole speech Friday.