Kospi Drops Nearly 9% in Trading Halt Amid Tech Stock Sell-off

South Korea's Kospi index declined nearly 9% shortly after the market opened, forcing a 20-minute trading halt due to panic selling, marking the third occurrence this year. After resuming, the Kospi was down approximately 5%, reflecting a broader trend where the Nikkei 225 fell around 4%, the largest drop in three months. Tech stocks, particularly major South Korean companies like Samsung and SK Hynix, suffered significant losses. Concerns over inflation arose after a 3.7% rise in Brent crude prices to $96.50 amid renewed Middle East tensions, influencing market volatility worldwide.