GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks tumble after AI rout rocks US markets

A rout in Asia’s tech-heavy markets deepened on ?Friday ?as fear of increased regulatory scrutiny and a slowdown in AI build-out precipitated the steepest decline in US stocks since the tariff-triggered “Liberation Day” selloff in April 2025. Japan’s Nikkei slumped 7% immediately after the opening bell while benchmark share price indices in South Korea and Taiwan dropped more than 8%. Stocks across the region then appeared ?to stabilise as dip buyers emerged. European stock futures also cut initial loss and were last down 0.6%. Nasdaq futures were up 1.4% though sentiment remained fragile. Wall Street’s volatility “fear gauge” soared, the…