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Tech Sell-Off Rocks Markets as AI Spending Worries Mount

U.S. equity markets experienced a significant downturn on Friday, marking the end of a three-day winning streak, as investor confidence was shaken by a wave of disappointing earnings reports and cautious guidance from major technology firms. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite bore the brunt of the losses, sliding by 1.4%, while the S&P 500 shed 0.3% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%. The sell-off was primarily fueled by concerns surrounding the substantial capital expenditures on Artificial Intelligence and whether these investments will translate into quick enough returns. Intel (INTC) was a major casualty, plummeting nearly 29% in its worst day since 1974 after providing a weak fourth-quarter forecast and citing a slowdown in the PC market. Fellow tech giants Alphabet (GOOGL) and Amazon (AMZN) also contributed to the negativity, with Alphabet extending Thursday's losses after missing earnings estimates and Amazon falling after reporting weaker profit and increased AI spending. The Communication Services and Information Technology sectors were the hardest hit. In contrast, defensive sectors saw inflows as investors rotated away from growth stocks. Healthcare and Real Estate stood out, rallying 2.4% and 2.2% respectively. Energy stocks also performed well, with ExxonMobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) rising after beating analyst expectations, boosted by strong refining margins amid global energy market disruptions. Notable individual gainers included Mondelez International (MDLZ) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) on strong earnings, and Rivian Automotive (RIVN) following better-than-expected results and an improved outlook.

AI-assisted analysis, reviewed by our editorial team. Not financial advice.

Key Takeaways

  • Disappointing earnings and cautious guidance from major tech companies, particularly around AI spending, triggered a broad market sell-off, with the Nasdaq experiencing the steepest declines.
  • Investors rotated into defensive sectors like Healthcare and Real Estate, which outperformed amidst the wider market downturn, signaling a flight to safety.
  • Individual stock performance was highly divergent; while tech giants like Intel, Alphabet, and Amazon saw significant drops, companies in consumer staples, energy, and biotechnology posted notable gains.

Dow Jones

DJI
$52,273.00
-23.00 (-0.04%)

NASDAQ 100

NDX
$25,036.90
-42.00 (-0.17%)

S&P 500

SPX
$7,693.60
+5.70 (+0.07%)
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