Markets
Luke Kawa

US stocks slump, with tech heavyweights cratering on fresh semiconductor export restrictions

US stocks slid, with tech leading the way down as chipmakers face additional curbs on what they can sell to China. Major indexes extended losses after Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the message that the central bank is in no hurry to respond to the hit to growth from tariffs because these levies will also put upward pressure on inflation.

The S&P 500 ended down 2.2%, the Nasdaq 100 fell 3%, and the Russell 2000 gave back 1%.

Tech was the worst-performing S&P 500 sector ETF, with all besides energy finishing in the red.

After the close on Tuesday, Nvidia said it was taking a $5.5 billion charge in its upcoming earnings report because the chip designer is no longer allowed to sell its H20 chips to China. Shares tumbled on the news, with analysts rushing to figure out how much these exports restrictions will dent earnings. That wasn’t the only bad news for semis on the day, as Dutch chip equipment manufacturer ASML slumped on lower-than-expected sales and orders.

Elsewhere in pain for Magnificent 7 stocks, Apple gave back all of the gains it made following the tariff exemptions announced Friday after the close, while Tesla slumped hard on a string of bad news.

United Airlines initially soared after reporting better-than-expected earnings after the close on Tuesday, but gave back that advance to finish flat. The airline provided two sets of guidance, and the numbers for the recessionary scenario look very optimistic relative to history.

Car rental company Hertz was a standout performer, spiking more than 50% after Pershing Square, run by Bill Ackman, revealed a 4% position in the stock.

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SpaceX gets a wave of bullish ratings from Wall Street analysts

SpaceX received more than a dozen positive analyst calls on Tuesday — including from major Wall Street banks — as they initiate coverage on Elon Musk’s space and AI company.

SpaceX went public on June 12 at a $2.2 trillion valuation, the largest debut in history. While the company hasn’t yet posted a profit, it seems to have convinced Wall Street that it will get there and grow its valuation on the way.

Of the at least 17 analysts that gave a rating on Tuesday, all but one gave it a “buy” or “outperform” rating. MoffettNathanson was "neutral."

The ratings come as SpaceX joined the Nasdaq 100 index, a benchmark tech-heavy basket of companies that underpins millions of portfolios. The inclusion adds built-in demand for the stock from index funds and ETFs.

Still, SpaceX fell more than 5% on Tuesday amid a broader sell-off, and is currently effectively flat from its opening price of $150 a share.

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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