US markets finish mostly flat to lower as investors respond to concerns about how much money Big Tech will spend on artificial intelligence ahead of upcoming earnings reports. Multiple outlets report that the tech-heavy Nasdaq underperforms, with selling focused on chip and related stocks as traders gauge whether current and planned AI investment will translate into near-term results. The reports also note that broader uncertainty extends beyond technology, with continued tensions in the Middle East contributing to risk sentiment.
At the same time, at least one outlet indicates that weakness in oil prices provides a partial counterbalance for investors, helping support parts of the market even as geopolitical concerns persist. Overall, the coverage characterizes the session as cautious positioning ahead of the next wave of major earnings, with the market reacting primarily to expectations around AI capex and the timing of returns. Markets end mixed, but the Nasdaq’s decline is highlighted as a central development in the trading day.
