Alphabet(US:GOOGL) Benzinga·2026-01-20 21:42Market Overview - Risk-off sentiment intensified, leading to significant losses in U.S. equities, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both declining around 2%, marking their worst sessions in over three months [1] - The so-called Magnificent Seven stocks collectively lost approximately $700 billion in market capitalization, with Nvidia and Apple experiencing the largest declines [2] Company-Specific Losses - Nvidia Corp. lost $174.90 billion, a decrease of 3.86% [3] - Apple Inc. saw a market cap loss of $172.92 billion, down 4.58% [3] - Other notable losses included Alphabet Inc. (-$103.28 billion, -2.59%), Amazon.com Inc. (-$90.24 billion, -3.53%), and Tesla Inc. (-$60.54 billion, -4.16%) [3] Precious Metals and Safe-Haven Assets - Gold prices surged by 1.9% to $4,760 per ounce, reaching record highs as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical and trade risks [4] - The shift towards gold indicates a growing belief that U.S. actions regarding tariffs may be imminent [5] Economic Implications of Trade Conflicts - Economists warn that a potential escalation into a transatlantic trade conflict could significantly impact economic growth, with estimates suggesting a 1% reduction in U.S. GDP if a 25% tariff is imposed on European countries [6] - Global GDP growth could slow to approximately 2.6%, below the recent 2.8%-2.9% range, marking the weakest pace since 2009, excluding the pandemic year [7] Treasury Yields and Market Dynamics - U.S. Treasuries did not provide the expected safe-haven support, with rising yields pressuring bond prices even as equities fell [8] - Factors contributing to higher Treasury yields include rising deficits, escalating tariff threats, geopolitical tensions, and concerns over Federal Reserve independence [9]