# Asian stocks fall: KOSPI down 3.61%, Brent near $110 ahead of AI earnings

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/markets/asian-stocks-fall-kospi-down-361percent-brent-near-dollar110-ahead-of-ai)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 20 Oct 2026
Updated: 20 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 20 Oct 2026

> Asian markets slipped on Tuesday as investors waited for SpaceX and Meta results, while France's riots weighed on European futures. What it means for petrol, gold and the PSX.

**Asian shares fell on Tuesday 20 October**, led by a **3.61% drop in South Korea's KOSPI**, as investors cut risk before a week of results from the companies at the centre of the AI trade, Reuters reported, [via Business Recorder](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445069/asian-shares-tumble-oil-rises-as-markets-await-ai-sector-results). Oil edged up and gold slipped.

## Markets this morning

| Market | Move | Level |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan | -0.93% | |
| KOSPI (South Korea) | -3.61% | |
| Nikkei 225 (Japan) | -1.28% | |
| S&P 500 e-mini futures | flat | 7,734.25 |
| Euro Stoxx 50 futures | -0.71% | |
| Brent crude | +0.21% | $109.78 a barrel |
| WTI crude | +0.15% | $103.82 a barrel |
| Spot gold | -0.51% | $4,118.71 an ounce |
| Dollar index | -0.05% | 101.92 |

## Why

- **AI results.** SpaceX reports on Tuesday and Meta on Wednesday, with Tesla, Lam Research and Texas Instruments later in the week. Pepperstone's Chris Weston said traders were covering short bets but were not ready to rebuild big AI positions. Goldman Sachs expects five AI hyperscalers to raise combined capital spending to about $1.2 trillion next year.
- **France.** Curfews in parts of Paris, Lille and Nice after weekend riots pushed European futures lower, with French government risk now being priced in.
- **Oil.** Crude rose while markets weighed a possible US waiver on some Russia-related sanctions; President Trump said on Saturday he had not made a final decision.
- **The Fed.** Comments from Fed officials, including Chair Kevin Warsh, suggest no hurry to raise rates again.

## What it means in Pakistan

**Petrol.** Brent near $110 is the backdrop to every fuel price decision. The government cut petrol by Rs 5.16 to Rs 381.14 a litre on Monday ([our story](/news/economy/petrol-price-cut-rs-516-to-rs-38114-a-litre-today-diesel-down-rs-769-to-rs-38927)); with crude still this high, the room for further cuts is limited. Daily readings are on our [petrol price page](/data/petrol-price).

**Gold.** Local prices follow the world price and the rupee. 24-karat gold was Rs 430,448 a tola this morning on our [gold price page](/data/gold-24k-tola); a 0.5% fall abroad, if it holds, would take roughly Rs 2,000 off a tola. Convert weights with our [gold converter](/tools/finance/gold-converter).

**The PSX.** A sell-off in Asian tech stocks rarely hits Karachi directly, since the KSE-100 has few tech names, but foreign selling across emerging markets can. Follow the index on our [KSE-100 page](/data/kse-100) and the dollar on [USD to PKR](/data/usd-pkr).

## Frequently asked questions

**Why did Asian stocks fall on 20 October 2026?**

Investors cut risk ahead of SpaceX and Meta results this week, Reuters reported. The KOSPI fell 3.61% and the Nikkei 1.28%.

**What is the oil price today?**

Brent crude was $109.78 a barrel and WTI $103.82 on the morning of 20 October 2026, Reuters reported.

## Sources

- Asian shares tumble, oil rises as markets await AI sector results (Reuters, 20 Oct 2026) (Business Recorder): https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445069/asian-shares-tumble-oil-rises-as-markets-await-ai-sector-results

How to cite: "Asian stocks fall: KOSPI down 3.61%, Brent near $110 ahead of AI earnings", Searchable, 20 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/markets/asian-stocks-fall-kospi-down-361percent-brent-near-dollar110-ahead-of-ai