The S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.05%) fell 0.05% to 7,354.02, the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.24%) declined 0.24% to 25,297.62, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 0.09%) slipped 0.09% to 51,876.11, as technology weakness intensified.
Gold prices rose 0.96% to $4,086.40 as of U.S. market close, while the 10-Year Treasury yield fell 0.02% to 4.38%. Consumer cyclicals gained 1.52%, while industrials dropped 1.34% and energy stocks slipped 0.57%.
Today’s biggest moves
Sandisk shares plunged over 10% and Micron Technology fell 7% as a sell-off in memory and chipmakers weighed on the broader technology sector. Meanwhile, Broadcom and Seagate Technology also finished lower as investors questioned valuations amid shifting sentiment and rising volatility.
What this means for investors
Semiconductors erased some of this week’s gains today after soaring on Micron’s blowout earnings. The tech-heavy Nasdaq finished the week down 5% as the artificial intelligence (AI) trade came under increasing pressure. Yesterday’s sticky inflation data weighed on risk sentiment, driving a rotation into defensive stocks.
For investors, the swings of recent weeks reflect conflicting forces of optimism and anxiety about AI valuations. For example, billionaire investor and GMO co-founder Jeremy Grantham warned today of a potential wipeout, saying that U.S. equities are the most expensive in history.
At the same time, recent earnings show fundamentals are strong, and while concerns about high capital expenditures are valid, there’s still enormous potential. For long-term investors, diversification and a focus on individual companies rather than broad sectors will be key.
Emma Newbery has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Broadcom and Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
