AI Stocks Extend Decline as Oracle and Nvidia Drop in Premarket Trading
U.S. artificial intelligence-related stocks fell in premarket trading on Friday, marking their third consecutive day of declines. The downturn was led by Oracle, which dropped 1.3%, while Nvidia and Micron each slid 0.9%. CoreWeave, a cloud infrastructure provider focused on AI, fell 1.4% at 4:30 a.m. ET. The broader sell-off in AI stocks came despite a strong performance elsewhere on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 both reached record highs on Thursday. The Nasdaq Composite, however, edged down 0.26%, reflecting investor caution in the tech sector. The sharp decline in Oracle shares was the primary catalyst for the broader tech selloff. On Thursday, Oracle’s stock plunged nearly 11% after the company reported quarterly revenue that missed analyst expectations. The earnings miss followed a weak outlook, with the cloud computing and database software giant citing slower-than-expected growth in its cloud business. This underperformance raised concerns among investors about the sustainability of AI-driven growth, particularly for companies reliant on enterprise cloud adoption. Despite the Nasdaq’s record close earlier in the session, the pullback in AI stocks signaled a shift in investor sentiment. Analysts noted that traders are increasingly rotating out of high-flying tech stocks and into other sectors perceived as more stable or undervalued. This rotation reflects growing concerns about valuation, profitability, and the long-term viability of AI business models, especially amid rising competition and slowing demand in certain segments. The broader AI sector has been under pressure in recent weeks, even as major players like Nvidia continue to dominate. While Nvidia remains a cornerstone of the AI boom, its recent performance has shown signs of volatility. Investors are now scrutinizing not just innovation but also execution, margins, and the ability to convert AI hype into consistent revenue growth. The sell-off in AI stocks also underscores the market’s sensitivity to earnings surprises and guidance. Oracle’s stumble serves as a cautionary tale: even companies deeply involved in AI infrastructure can falter if their fundamentals don’t align with expectations. This has led some analysts to question whether the AI rally has run ahead of underlying economic reality. Meanwhile, other AI-focused firms, including CoreWeave and Micron, are grappling with similar pressures. CoreWeave, which provides high-performance computing for AI workloads, has seen its stock fluctuate amid concerns about demand volatility and competition from major cloud providers like AWS and Microsoft Azure. Micron, a key supplier of memory chips essential for AI systems, is also facing headwinds from oversupply and slowing demand in data centers. Despite the recent pullback, many industry experts believe the long-term fundamentals for AI remain strong. The technology continues to drive innovation across healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and more, and major companies are still investing heavily in AI infrastructure. However, the current market correction may be a sign of a necessary recalibration—shifting from speculative growth to sustainable, profitable AI adoption. As investors reassess valuations and company performance, the AI sector may see increased consolidation and a focus on firms with clear paths to profitability. For now, the market’s reaction to Oracle’s earnings highlights the risks of overreliance on AI momentum and the importance of solid financial results in sustaining investor confidence. The coming days will likely reveal whether this selloff is a short-term correction or the beginning of a broader shift in market sentiment toward AI stocks.
