Nvidia's Jensen Huang Calls AI Stock Sell-Off a Buying Opportunity as Asian Markets Crater

Huang Brushes Off the Rout

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has dismissed the dramatic sell-off sweeping through global technology and semiconductor stocks, telling reporters in Seoul on Monday that the downturn should be seen as a buying opportunity rather than a warning sign. Speaking against a backdrop of plunging Asian markets, Huang said AI-related stocks now look "very cheap" and reaffirmed his conviction that artificial intelligence is still in its early innings.

"It is a foregone conclusion that AI will be infrastructure for the world, just as the internet was infrastructure for the world," Huang said, according to Bloomberg. He characterised the industry-wide supply shortage as a multi-year phenomenon, arguing that demand across the chain — from chips to connectors to photonics cables — far outstrips available supply.

Markets in Freefall

Huang's optimism stood in stark contrast to the turmoil around him. South Korea's Kospi plunged as much as 8.3% on Monday, its steepest single-day decline since March, triggering circuit breakers that halted trading. Samsung Electronics fell 7% whilst SK Hynix dropped more than 3%. Japan's Nikkei 225 slid 4.2%, and Taiwan's Taiex lost 3.8%.

The rout followed Wall Street's worst day since October, with the S&P 500 falling 2.6% and the Nasdaq Composite slumping 4.2% on Friday after a stronger-than-expected US jobs report stoked fears that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates. Renewed tensions between Iran and Israel added to the unease, with oil prices surging on Monday.

Nvidia Signs Deals in South Korea

Huang's Seoul appearance was not only about market commentary. Nvidia announced a series of partnerships with South Korean tech giants, including a multi-year technology collaboration with SK Hynix to co-develop next-generation memory chips for AI data centres, alongside deals with Naver and SK Group, according to Reuters. The agreements underline how central South Korea's semiconductor ecosystem has become to Nvidia's AI supply chain.

Confidence Amid Uncertainty

Huang framed the current downturn as a natural correction within a durable, long-term trend, insisting the buildout of AI infrastructure remains in its early stages. Whether markets heed his call remains to be seen, but for Huang, the sell-off represents opportunity rather than alarm.