Seoul shares open sharply lower on AI woes ahead of US midterm elections

South Korean stocks started sharply lower Tuesday, weighed down by lingering concerns over massive spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure ahead of the US midterm elections. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 196.71 points, or 3.36 percent, to 5,662.37 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, US stocks closed mixed as investors were focused on the US midterm elections on Tuesday (US time). The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 closed 1.07 percent and 0.51 percent lower,