The Economic Times·2026-02-12 18:06Market Overview - The US stock market experienced a significant decline, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 581 points to 49,540, the S&P 500 dropping 1.15% to 6,861, and the Nasdaq Composite sliding 1.56% to 22,707 due to fears surrounding artificial intelligence disruption [1][18] - Major technology and AI-linked stocks faced pressure, including NVIDIA Corporation, which hovered near $190 on heavy volume, Intel Corporation falling over 2%, Netflix, Inc. dropping more than 4%, and Palantir Technologies Inc. sliding more than 6% [1][18] Triggering Factors - The catalyst for the market crash was a press release from Algorhythm Holdings, claiming its AI freight platform could scale shipping volumes by 300% to 400% without increasing headcount, which raised concerns about margin pressure and job displacement in logistics and transportation sectors [3][18] - This reaction is part of a broader trend where each new AI announcement is perceived as a potential threat to existing business models across various industries [5][18] Sector Impact - Semiconductor stocks, previously viewed as major beneficiaries of AI, are now undergoing valuation reassessment, with NVIDIA trading near $190, below its 52-week high of $212, as investors question the sustainability of peak AI demand [6][18] - Intel's stock fell over 2% to around $47, reflecting a broader weakness in the chip sector as investors shifted towards defensive and cyclical stocks [7][18] - Palantir shares dropped over 6%, indicating a reassessment of disruption risks even among leading AI platform providers, as commoditization of AI platforms could diminish pricing power across the sector [8][18] Broader Market Sentiment - The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF remains approximately 30% below its recent highs, signaling ongoing weakness in enterprise software stocks [9][18] - Streaming and e-commerce stocks also declined, with Netflix falling more than 4% to near $76 and Amazon dropping over 2% to around $199, reflecting both AI fears and macroeconomic pressures [10][18] - The market is currently facing dual pressures from AI disruption risks and higher interest rates, leading to a lack of dip-buying support that has characterized previous tech selloffs [11][12][18] Future Outlook - Investors are closely monitoring upcoming Consumer Price Index data, with expectations of a 0.3% monthly rise in both headline and core CPI, which could influence Federal Reserve rate cut decisions and further impact tech stocks [13][18] - The overall sentiment in the market is dominated by uncertainty regarding who will benefit from AI advancements and who may face disruption, suggesting that volatility in AI-related stocks like NVIDIA, Intel, Netflix, and Palantir is likely to persist [15][18]