Headline: Global Risk-Off Returns as AI Valuation Jitters Hit Stocks; Nikkei Futures Sink
Introduction: A renewed risk-off mood swept through global markets as concerns over stretched AI valuations collided with shifting interest-rate expectations. Futures pointed lower in the U.S., while Japan’s Nikkei 225 futures fell sharply, amplifying caution across equities and crypto.
Global equity sentiment deteriorated overnight, led by an 825-point decline in Nikkei 225 futures as trading volume thinned and open interest fell—signals typically associated with bearish positioning. In the U.S., a jobs report cooled hopes for near-term rate cuts, pressuring high-growth names. Nvidia slid about 5% and Bloom Energy dropped 12.3% on valuation concerns, while the S&P 500 notched its sharpest intraday reversal since April as traders reassessed rich tech multiples and AI-driven momentum.
Valuation worries broadened beyond mega-cap AI stocks. EBAY (around 10.6x EV/EBITDA), PVH (about 6.4x P/E), and CLH (near 26.7x P/E) faced skepticism amid slowing growth and margin compression, steering value-focused traders toward more compelling setups. Elsewhere, Photronics (PLAB, roughly 10.7x P/E) contended with flat revenue and elevated costs; Alamo Group (ALG, about 14.6x P/E) grappled with uneven demand; and Ally Financial (ALLY, near 7.7x P/E) struggled with sales and earnings pressure, underscoring the market’s selective stance on cyclical exposure.
Nvidia remained a focal point after high-profile bearish bets cited an “AI bubble” and dilution risk, even as the company emphasized a multitrillion-dollar AI infrastructure buildout and longer chip replacement cycles. Nasdaq futures edged down roughly 0.2% and S&P 500 futures slipped 0.1%, with Bitcoin falling below $87,000. With weekly losses stacking up, investors are watching whether risk appetite stabilizes or if the unwind in futures positioning and tech valuations deepens.
Key Points: – Nikkei 225 futures drop about 825 points as volume and open interest decline, signaling bearish sentiment. – U.S. jobs data undercuts hopes for swift rate cuts, weighing on growth and AI-related stocks. – Nvidia falls around 5%; Bloom Energy tumbles 12.3% on valuation concerns. – EBAY, PVH, and CLH face scrutiny over slower growth and margin pressure; PLAB, ALG, and ALLY flagged for demand and cost headwinds. – S&P 500 sees its sharpest reversal since April as traders reassess tech valuations. – Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures dip modestly; Bitcoin trades below $87,000 as risk-off tone broadens.
