Today’s Top Stories: AI Stock Selloff Hits Broadcom, Marvell and CrowdStrike as Oil Tops $95

TLDR

• Broadcom shares fell after earnings beat expectations but missed Wall Street’s elevated forecasts
• Marvell Technology dropped as traders took profits following a massive recent rally
• CrowdStrike beat earnings and announced a stock split but still fell on valuation concerns
• Ciena shares plunged despite raising revenue guidance, disappointing on margins
• Oil climbed above $95 per barrel, boosting energy stocks but raising inflation fears

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Broadcom reported strong earnings driven by artificial intelligence demand, but Wall Street wanted more. The company’s networking products and custom AI chips have made it a key supplier to major cloud providers. Investors had priced in near-perfect results, and when the numbers came in just short of those elevated expectations, the stock fell sharply.

The selloff quickly spread across the semiconductor sector. Chips stocks including Advanced Micro Devices, Micron, Qualcomm, and Intel all moved lower as investors rotated away from some of the market’s top performers.

Marvell and the AI Profit-Taking Wave

Marvell Technology had been on a strong run after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang suggested the company could one day reach a trillion-dollar valuation. That comment sent the stock sharply higher in recent weeks. But today, traders used the broader weakness as an opportunity to lock in gains.

The Marvell move was a reminder that AI-related stocks can fall just as fast as they rise. High valuations leave little room for disappointment, even when the underlying business story remains intact.

CrowdStrike Beats but Still Falls

CrowdStrike delivered earnings that topped analyst estimates and raised its full-year guidance. The cybersecurity company also announced a four-for-one stock split, which typically draws interest from retail investors by lowering the share price.

Despite all of that, the stock fell. Investors were focused on the company’s already-high valuation rather than the results themselves. It was another example of a pattern playing out across the market right now — strong numbers are not always enough.

Ciena was another surprise decliner. The networking equipment company raised its revenue guidance but disappointed on margins and parts of its forward outlook. The stock dropped sharply, showing how sensitive investors have become to anything less than a clean beat-and-raise report.

UnitedHealth was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult session. Bank of America upgraded the healthcare giant, helping lift its shares and broader healthcare stocks. Investors have been looking for defensive options outside of technology, and healthcare fits that profile.

Oil prices climbed above $95 per barrel as tensions in the Middle East increased. Energy stocks benefited, but the move also renewed concerns about inflation. Higher crude prices could make it harder for the Federal Reserve to keep inflation in check.

The overall tone of the session reflected a market that is becoming more selective. Investors are still interested in artificial intelligence as a long-term theme, but they are no longer willing to pay any price for it.