Semiconductor Slump Deepens as Huawei Gains; Bumble Soars on Buyout Talk

Semiconductor stocks around the world dropped sharply as Huawei narrowed Nvidia's lead in China's AI-chip market, with Samsung and SK Hynix each falling 7% to 8%. Bumble jumped almost 50% on buyout speculation, while Character.AI filed for bankruptcy and agreed to sell some assets to Disney for $20 million. Investors stayed cautious before major bank earnings and inflation data.

The session's sharpest pressure came from semiconductors. Samsung lost 7.4% and SK Hynix 8.2% as Huawei's advance left Nvidia with 34% of China's AI-chip market. Asia absorbed most of the tech decline, while U.S. indexes diverged: the Dow added 0.38% and the Nasdaq fell. Investors also awaited bank earnings, September CPI, and TSMC/ASML results.

Elsewhere, Bumble climbed about 49.8% on reported $1 billion buyout talks with Ithaca Holdings. Character.AI sought bankruptcy protection and agreed to sell selected assets to Disney for $20 million. Visa received Chinese central-bank approval to prepare domestic operations, BlackRock dropped its U.S. equity overweight, and Kroger planned roughly 3,000 corporate role cuts over three years, citing AI.

Count first para: The(1) session's2 sharpest3 pressure4 came5 from6 semiconductors7. Samsung8 lost9 7.4%10 and11 SK12 Hynix13 8.2%14 as15 Huawei's16 advance17 left18 Nvidia19 with20 34%21 of22 China's23 AI-chip24 market25. Asia26 absorbed27 most28 of29 the30 tech31 decline32, while33 U.S.34 indexes35 diverged36: the37 Dow38 added39 0.38%40 and41 the42 Nasdaq43 fell44. Investors45 also46 awaited47 bank48 earnings49, September50 CPI51, and52 TSMC/ASML53 results54. Good 54.

Second: Elsewhere55, Bumble56 climbed57 about58 49.8%59 on60 reported61 $1 billion62 buyout63 talks64 with65 Ithaca66 Holdings67. Character.AI68 sought69 bankruptcy70 protection71 and72 agreed73 to74 sell75 selected76 assets77 to78 Disney79 for80 $20 million81. Visa82