China's equity markets tumbled on Thursday as a global selloff in AI-linked stocks triggered steep declines in semiconductor and optical transceiver shares. While technology stocks came under heavy pressure amid valuation concerns, investors shifted towards defensive sectors such as consumer staples, liquor producers and banks.

(Bloomberg) -- Asian equities declined as renewed concerns over artificial-intelligence spending fueled another selloff in chipmakers.

(Bloomberg) -- A selloff in chipmakers deepened as mounting doubts over returns from billions of dollars of artificial-intelligence spending rippled through semiconductor stocks…