Finance1 min read

US markets end lower as Nvidia slump overshadows energy rally

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The sudden resignation of Jensen Huang amid a board inquiry into his ties with a suspected Chinese operative sent Nvidia shares tumbling nearly 12% before trimming losses. Although retail investors stepped in with record early purchases and Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress stepped up as interim leader, peer tech firms and AI infrastructure providers faced heavy pressure. Meanwhile, crude's surge to nearly $96 a barrel supported oil majors like Exxon Mobil, but simultaneously lifted the 10-year Treasury yield past 5%.

Key points

  • Severe volatility in leading semiconductor equities can quickly drag down broad market be…: Severe volatility in leading semiconductor equities can quickly drag down broad market benchmarks regardless of strength in rival chipmakers.
  • Persistent advances in energy prices continue to stoke inflation concerns and push govern…: Persistent advances in energy prices continue to stoke inflation concerns and push government bond yields into restrictive territory.
  • Heightened political scrutiny and potential artificial intelligence regulations are creat…: Heightened political scrutiny and potential artificial intelligence regulations are creating an increasingly cautious backdrop for high-valuation tech leaders.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

US stocks closed lower on Thursday as a sharp fall in Nvidia shares following the departure of its CEO Jensen Huang weighed on the broader market, offsetting gains in energy stocks amid rising oil prices.

Nvidia shares plunged nearly 12% in early trading before recovering some of their losses to close lower. The chipmaker's stock has been under pressure since its board announced an investigation into Huang over his relationship with a woman suspected of being a Chinese government agent. The company named Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as its interim CEO following Huang's resignation.

The S&P 500 fell 25.99 points, or 0.34%, to end at 7,593.39, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 102.44 points, or 0.40%, to 25,363.75. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 190.29 points, or 0.36%, to 52,296.20, according to preliminary data.

Retail investors purchased about $111 million worth of Nvidia shares in the first half-hour of trading, marking the biggest opening buying activity on record for the stock, according to Vanda Analytics.

The decline in Nvidia shares also weighed on other artificial intelligence-linked stocks, although some of…

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