ZACKS·2025-12-18 00:11Market Overview - The markets experienced a significant sell-off, with the Dow closing down 228 points (-0.47%), while the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Russell 2000 fell by -1.16%, -1.81%, and -1.14% respectively [1] - This marks the fourth consecutive down day for the Dow and S&P 500, with the Russell 2000 trading down since reaching an all-time high last Thursday [2] AI Sector Performance - The AI trade, which had previously supported market performance throughout 2025, is now facing challenges as investors adopt a more cautious outlook for 2026 [3] - Notable declines in AI stocks include Oracle (-5.4%), Broadcom (-4.5%), and NVIDIA (-3.8%) [3] Tesla's Market Position - Tesla experienced a significant drop of -4.6% following profit-taking after reaching an all-time closing high [4] - The California DMV has accused Tesla of misleading claims regarding its vehicles' "full self-driving capability," following a judge's ruling [4] Micron's Financial Performance - Micron reported strong fiscal Q1 results, with earnings of $4.78 per share surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.91, and revenues of $13.64 billion exceeding expectations of $12.74 billion [5] - Operating cash flow increased by +47% quarter-over-quarter to $8.41 billion, more than double the $3.24 billion reported in the same quarter last year [6] - Micron's cloud memory business doubled year-over-year to $5.28 billion, with gross margins improving by +66% [6] Upcoming Economic Indicators - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for November is anticipated to show a year-over-year inflation rate of +3.1%, the highest since May 2024, with core CPI expected at +3.0% [7] - Concerns are rising regarding the labor market and potential economic implications if CPI continues to increase [8]