Stocks sink as technology rally fades; Qualcomm drops
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 5, 2018. Credit: Bloomberg / Michael Nagle
A seven-day surge in technology stocks ended Tuesday after President Donald Trump blocked Singapore-based chipmaker Broadcom’s effort to buy Qualcomm. Trump said he opposed the $117 billion deal because it could have been detrimental to national security.
The Dow Jones industrial average climbed as much as 197 points in early trading after investors were pleased with a Labor Department report that showed inflation remained in check last month. But the gains soon faded.
Technology stocks were at record highs after a recent rally. While Qualcomm had rejected all of Broadcom’s offers, investors are now wondering if other deals might also be blocked or if companies will hesitate before making bids for overseas competitors.
“I don’t think we’ve started to price in protectionism on a broader level,” said Gina Martin Adams, chief equity strategist for Bloomberg Intelligence.
The S&P 500 index lost 17.71 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,765.31. The Dow Jones industrial average slid 171.58 points, or 0.7 percent, to 25,007.03. The Nasdaq composite fell 77.31 points, or 1 percent, to 7,511.01, its first decline after seven straight gains. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks sank 9 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,592.05.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.85 percent from 2.87 percent.
Benchmark U.S. crude slumped 65 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $60.71 a barrel in New York.
