Stocks Turn Lower on AI Spending Concerns

Economic Overview - Weaker-than-expected Chinese economic data negatively impacts global growth prospects, with November industrial production easing to +4.8% y/y from +4.9% y/y in October, below expectations of +5.0% y/y. Retail sales rose only +1.3% y/y, the smallest increase in 2.75 years, and new home prices fell 0.39% m/m, marking the 30th consecutive month of declines [1] - In the US, the December Empire manufacturing survey unexpectedly contracted by -22.6 points to -3.9, weaker than the expected 10.0, while the December NAHB housing market index rose +1 to an 8-month high of 39, aligning with expectations [2] Federal Reserve and Interest Rates - Dovish comments from Fed officials suggest a supportive environment for stocks, with Fed Governor Stephen Miran stating that the current policy stance is unnecessarily restrictive, citing a benign inflation outlook and labor market concerns. NY Fed President John Williams indicated a shift towards a neutral monetary policy stance [3] - The outlook for lower interest rates is bolstered by a decrease in the 10-year T-note yield to 4.17%, with expectations of Fed-friendly economic news this week [4] Stock Market Performance - Stock indexes experienced declines, with the S&P 500 falling to a 2-week low and the Nasdaq 100 sliding to a 2.5-week low, driven by concerns over AI spending and disappointing outlooks from tech companies like Oracle and Broadcom [5] - The S&P 500 Index is down by -0.15%, the Dow Jones by -0.24%, and the Nasdaq 100 by -0.26% [6] Upcoming Economic Data - Market focus will be on upcoming US economic data, including expectations for a +50,000 increase in November nonfarm payrolls and a 4.5% unemployment rate. November average hourly earnings are expected to rise by +0.3% m/m and +3.6% y/y [7] Global Market Trends - Overseas stock markets are mixed, with the Euro Stoxx 50 up +0.56% and China's Shanghai Composite down -0.55%. Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 closed down -1.31% [8] Sector-Specific Movements - KLA Corp leads chip makers with a rise of more than +3% after an upgrade from Jeffries, while ServiceNow is down more than -10% following a downgrade by KeyBanc Capital Markets [13][16] - Cryptocurrency-exposed stocks are experiencing significant declines, with Bitcoin down more than -4% to a 2-week low, impacting companies like Riot Platforms and Galaxy Digital Holdings [14] - Energy stocks are also falling, with WTI crude oil down more than -1% to a 1.75-month low, affecting companies like APA Corp and Devon Energy [15]