What happens if AI growth slows?
Oil prices are pushing higher as Middle East tensions intensify, while growing concerns about the pace of AI development are putting the technology trade under pressure. A potential AI slowdown also raises a bigger financial question: who pays for the massive data-centre leases, debt and power commitments accumulated during the AI boom?
Meanwhile, central banks add another layer of uncertainty. The Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan are expected to raise rates this week, increasing borrowing costs just as concerns about AI-led growth emerge. Technology-heavy markets, including the Kospi, TAIEX and Nasdaq, could remain particularly vulnerable, while higher oil prices...