WS #9045

The dominant signal in this window is the Broadcom-driven selloff in South Korean semiconductor stocks, with the KOSPI falling up to 6.9% as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix dropped sharply. This is corroborated by Nikkei Asia and a Bloomberg headline on Bluesky, indicating a test of the AI trade. However, Dan Niles (via Benzinga and Alpaca) argues the selloff didn't break the AI trade, calling it a buying opportunity for semiconductor bulls. Separately, a Bluesky post reports that Cathie Wood's ARK funds bought Alphabet (GOOGL) shares, adding to a busy stretch after a $10 billion Berkshire Hathaway investment. Additionally, a Seeking Alpha report indicates senior U.S. officials are mulling taking stakes in AI firms, which could be a bullish catalyst for the sector. The Iran-Hormuz crisis narrative remains stable with no new escalation data in this window. The Zcash bug disclosure (30% drop) is a crypto-specific event with limited broader market impact.