Softbank

• A consortium of 44 Japanese companies, led by SoftBank, Sony, and Honda, launched a project on Thursday to develop a sovereign AI foundation model using domestic data. • To support the development of "physical AI," Tokyo plans to purchase 27,500 Nvidia Rubin chips to provide the necessary computational power. • This initiative aims to reduce reliance on foreign AI technology by creating a localized infrastructure tailored to Japan's specific industrial and linguistic needs.

• Japanese and South Korean equity markets experienced a "deep V-shaped recovery" on July 14, with the Nikkei 225 and KOSPI both closing slightly higher after a period of intense volatility. • The rally was led by major technology firms, including Samsung, SK Hynix, SoftBank, and Kioxia, all of which saw gains of approximately 3%. • This rebound follows a "long-short shakeout" and a bottoming-out phase, signaling a temporary stabilization of Asian tech stocks.

• On July 9, Japanese and South Korean stock markets opened with significant gains, led by a broad rally in memory chip stocks. • The Nikkei 225 and KOSPI indices both rose, with SK Hynix and Kioxia surging approximately 8%, while Samsung Electronics and SoftBank also saw increases. • The rally is driven by continued high demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) fueled by AI growth, which is reshaping earnings for semiconductor firms.

• On July 8, Japanese and South Korean stock markets experienced a significant downturn, with the KOSPI Index plunging 5.35% and the Nikkei 225 falling 2.11%. • Memory chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix led the decline with losses of approximately 6%, while SoftBank and Kioxia saw more modest decreases. • The crash was primarily driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and sustained selling by foreign investors.

• Japan has launched a major AI initiative, committing up to JPY 1 trillion (approximately US$6.2 billion) to develop a domestic AI foundation model. • The project will be led by a consortium headed by SoftBank, with a specific strategic focus on achieving leadership in "physical AI." • This investment aims to reduce Japan's technological dependence on the US and China while enhancing the nation's global manufacturing competitiveness.

• Japanese and South Korean stock markets opened higher on July 1, driven by significant gains in major tech firms including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. • SoftBank and Kioxia also tracked upward, contributing to the overall rise of the Nikkei 225 and KOSPI indices. • Separately, SpaceX (SPCX) shares closed at $170.86 on Tuesday, marking a 4.06% increase with a trading volume exceeding 82 million shares.

• Asian stock markets rallied strongly, with Japan's Nikkei 225 Index reclaiming the 70,000-point mark and South Korea's Samsung Electronics surging over 4%. • The surge was driven by positive momentum from the previous U.S. trading session, a reflow of offshore capital, and improved financial outlooks for local enterprises. • Chip-related stocks saw significant gains, with SK Hynix, SoftBank, and Kioxia all experiencing sharp increases alongside Samsung.

• Asian tech stocks declined sharply, with South Korea's KOSPI tumbling 3% and Japan's Nikkei 225 pulling back following a recent record-high rally. • Major companies including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and SoftBank saw losses, driven by profit-taking and SoftBank's decline linked to a delayed OpenAI listing. • Market sentiment was further dampened after South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service indefinitely postponed new weekly options due to extreme volatility.

• South Korea's Kospi and other major Asian indices slumped, with Taiwan's Taiex closing 3.6% lower and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index losing over 2%. • The downturn was driven by a SoftBank rout and investor concerns regarding memory chip demand following price hikes by Apple. • Specific losses included chip giant TSMC, which closed over 2% lower, and Alibaba, which tanked 6% after accusations from Anthropic regarding the exploitation of AI models.

• SoftBank has announced plans to invest up to 75 billion euros in artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, marking its largest AI-focused investment in Europe to date. • During his appearance in Paris, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son compared the current state of AI development to the early days of the internet, suggesting significant growth potential. • This massive capital injection underscores the global race to build the physical and digital infrastructure necessary to support advanced AI scaling.