Stocks Recoil as Rate Jitters Hit Tech; Index Risks and Global Data Stir Volatility
U.S. stocks posted their steepest intraday reversal since April, as investors reassessed the path of interest rates and trimmed exposure to high-growth, AI-focused names. The shift in sentiment, sparked by cooler jobs data that tempered hopes for swift Federal Reserve rate cuts, sent major tech stocks lower even as select retailers outperformed on strong earnings.
The S&P 500 swung sharply into the red, led by a pullback in semiconductor and AI leaders, with Nvidia sliding about 5%. By contrast, Walmart rallied roughly 6% after topping quarterly expectations, underscoring a split-screen market powered by solid consumer execution but constrained by rate uncertainty. Traders are now watching incoming data and Fed commentary for confirmation of the next policy move.
In corporate and index action, MicroStrategy (MSTR) faced elevated volatility on concerns it could be removed from MSCI benchmarks, a move that could trigger as much as $2.8 billion in passive outflows. Shares have fallen about 40% amid index-related anxiety rather than Bitcoin-driven selling, with its market NAV ratio hovering near 0.90. Abroad, Japan’s preliminary November manufacturing PMI improved to 48.8 from 48.2, signaling a slower pace of contraction. In Washington, debates over monetary easing and fiscal policy continued: calls for more Fed rate cuts resurfaced, while discussions around tariff rollbacks highlighted potential impacts on the deficit, with projections suggesting an $800 billion hit to anticipated debt reduction and a lower effective rate near 16.5% versus 20.5%. Separately, a move to repeal a provision enabling lawsuits over phone-record seizures was blocked in the Senate, keeping legal risk considerations in focus.
Key Points – S&P 500 logged its sharpest reversal since April as tech stocks fell on rate uncertainty. – Nvidia dropped about 5%, while Walmart jumped roughly 6% on a strong earnings beat. – MicroStrategy could face up to $2.8B in outflows if excluded from MSCI indices; shares are down about 40%. – Japan’s preliminary November manufacturing PMI rose to 48.8 from 48.2, still below the 50 expansion line. – Policy debates intensified: renewed calls for Fed rate cuts and tariff rollback talks that could trim $800B from planned debt reduction. – A Senate move blocked repeal of a provision allowing lawsuits over phone-record seizures, maintaining potential legal exposure.
