The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump paused a major escalation in the military campaign against Iran amid efforts to revive diplomacy to open the Strait of Hormuz. (Image: Getty)By Ronnie Harui and Kwanwoo JunSouth Korean shares were hammered by growing concerns over spending linked to the artificial-intelligence boom, leading the region’s stock markets lower.Chip and technology stocks in Asia were dragged by sharp losses overnight for US chip stocks, as investors grow increasingly concerned that high capital expenditure on artificial intelligence may not lead to profits for a long time. “Sentiment toward the semiconductor sector was also hit by a report that a Chinese state-backed company had begun mass-pro...