Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-08-20 16:41Market Overview - On August 20, US tech stocks experienced a significant decline, with the Nasdaq Composite Index dropping nearly 2% and falling below 21,000 points for the first time since August 7 [1] - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plummeted over 3%, with Nvidia seeing a drop of nearly 4% [1] - The VIX, known as the "fear index," surged over 10% during this period [1] Major Tech Stocks Performance - Major tech stocks saw widespread losses, with Apple down 1.54%, Tesla down 2.68%, Amazon down 1.97%, Facebook down 1.24%, Google down 1.16%, Nvidia down 1.54%, and Microsoft down 0.77% [3][4] - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell by 1.79%, with Intel dropping over 6% and Micron Technology down over 5% [4] Options Market Activity - Wall Street traders are increasingly purchasing put options to hedge against the risk of further declines in tech stocks, particularly those tracking the Nasdaq 100 Index [12] - The cost of hedging against significant declines is nearing a three-year high, indicating heightened concern among traders [12] Economic Indicators and Federal Reserve Outlook - The US dollar index weakened, reported at 98.173, down 0.11% [8][9] - Market expectations suggest that the Federal Reserve may lower interest rates by 25 basis points in September, with a 51.5% probability of another cut in October [16] - Concerns about the independence of the Federal Reserve and its ability to manage inflation effectively are rising, particularly in light of political pressures [19]