Update: US Equity Indexes Mixed as Mega-Cap Sell-Off Sends Nasdaq, S&P 500 Sliding
(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data, and analysts' comments from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes traded mixed as a rout in heavyweight semiconductor names hit the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 in Tuesday's midday trading.The Nasdaq Composite slumped 1.4% to 25,803.1, and the S&P 500 dropped 0.9% to 7,403.2 intraday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2% to 51,821.7.Technology and industrials were the standout decliners, while consumer staples and real estate topped the gainers intraday.In a category of stocks with a market capitalization of over $200 billion, 17 out of the bottom 20 stocks were technology firms. Sandisk (SNDK), Micron Technology (MU), and Qualcomm (QCOM) were the steepest decliners, sinking by at least 9% each intraday. Within technology, semiconductors bore the brunt of investors' apathy.Tech stocks may face spillover impact from the selloff in South Korea, though the slide appears to be a "pullback/breather" in a market that nearly doubled this year, Wedbush Securities said in a note. South Korea's Korea Composite Stock Price Index, which was up roughly 90% year-to-date, fell about 10% on Tuesday, the brokerage said in a note."We view the KOSPI sell-off as a pullback/breather on a market up almost 100% this year and also believe [SK Hynix, an affiliate of SK Telecom overtaking Samsung was a big symbolic move that caused some investors to worry about an 'overheated' memory chip trade," Wedbush analysts, including Dan Ives, said in the note.Offering a different viewpoint, the Wells Fargo Investment Institute said in a research note that stocks often weaken before elections, referring to the US midterm polls in November. However, history shows those declines have often been followed by strong rebounds and better returns in the year after midterm results are known."Markets typically respond to a clearer policy outlook, so long-term investors should stay focused on fundamentals and consider adding equity exposure during election-driven pullbacks," the WFII note said.In geopolitical news, the Strait of Hormuz will remain open "with no further naval blockade," and Iran has agreed to the "highest level nuclear inspections," Al Jazeera cited US President Donald Trump as saying. Tehran has no plans to allow international inspections of its nuclear facilities, the Middle East news agency cited Iran's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.Front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent retreated 1.32% to $76.86 per barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate slid 1.3% to $72.93 per barrel.In economic news, the June flash reading of manufacturing conditions from S&P Global rose to a 49-month high of 55.7 from 55.1 in May, in contrast with an expected decrease to 54.6 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.Redbook US same-store sales surged 10% from a year earlier in the week ended June 20 after a 9.4% year-over-year increase in the previous week.Most US Treasury yields declined, with the 10-year down 2.8 basis points to 4.48%. The two-year rate dropped 4.7 basis points to 4.18%.In precious metals, gold futures dropped 1% to $4,159.10, and silver futures slumped 5.2% to $62.65.
