Tech Stocks Slide as Post-Election Regulatory Fears and Weak Chip Outlooks Hit Equities

U.S. stock indices tumbled Thursday, driven by an accelerating sell-off in semiconductor and artificial intelligence equities. The Nasdaq Composite fell 3.7%, the S&P 500 declined 2.1%, and the Dow Jones slid 1.1%, while the Invesco QQQ Trust dropped 4.0% to $664.13. Weakness was fueled by sweeping Democratic midterm election victories, which sparked concerns over data center permitting, energy consumption scrutiny, and slowing capital expenditures. Sentiment deteriorated further following weak quarterly results and outlooks from chipmakers Qualcomm and Arm Holdings, dragging down mega-cap leaders including Nvidia, Marvell Technology, and Intel as the broader AI sector shed roughly $5 trillion since early October.