Nasdaq slides: Index posts steepest weekly drop since April; AI rally doubts weigh on tech stocks

Market Performance - The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.21% to 23,004.54, marking a total weekly decline of approximately 3% [2][4] - Despite the recent pullback, the Nasdaq has increased over 50% since April, driven by AI optimism following the announcement of tariffs by US President Donald Trump [2][4] - The S&P 500 rose 0.13% to 6,728.81, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.16% to 46,987.10, both rebounding late in the session due to reports of progress in ending the federal government shutdown [4] Sector Analysis - Chipmakers and technology shares led the declines in the market, reflecting a cooling sentiment after comments from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang regarding China's potential to surpass the US in the AI race [2][4] - Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading, noted that the sector's weakness indicates a "recalibration of multiples" and profit-taking by investors after a strong performance [2][4] Global Economic Indicators - The global equities index MSCI slipped 0.07%, and the STOXX 600 in Europe decreased by 0.55%, influenced by weak trade data from China [3][4] - Chinese exports fell by 1.1% in October, the largest decline since February, highlighting the impact of tariffs and affecting investor confidence across Asia [3][4] Bond Market and Currency - US Treasury yields decreased slightly, with the 10-year Treasury yield easing to 4.091% amid worsening consumer sentiment reflected in the University of Michigan's preliminary index for November, which dropped to 50.3, the lowest since June 2022 [3][5] - The US dollar weakened against major currencies, with the dollar index falling 0.11% to 99.57, while the euro strengthened to $1.1563 and the yen weakened to 153.45 per dollar [5] Commodity Prices - Oil prices rebounded, with US crude settling 32 cents higher at $59.75 per barrel and Brent rising 25 cents to $63.63, driven by optimism following a meeting between Trump and Hungary's Prime Minister [5] - Gold prices also increased as investors sought safety amid ongoing uncertainty in the market [5]