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Markets Close Mixed as AI Chip Stocks Trigger Midday Reversal

Profit-taking in AI and semiconductor names cooled an early rally and sent investors to blue-chip and defensive stocks ahead of major tech earnings and a Federal Reserve decision.

Overview

  • On Monday, July 27, U.S. indexes finished unevenly with the Dow up about 262–263 points to roughly 52,210–52,215, the S&P 500 essentially flat near 7,413, the Nasdaq down about 44 points to 24,932.08, and the Russell 2000 rising about 18 points to 2,948.03.
  • An early rally driven by easing geopolitical tensions and a steep drop in crude oil was reversed at midday as investors locked in gains in high‑flying tech positions.
  • Semiconductor and AI‑hardware names led losses, with large declines reported in SanDisk, Lite‑On, ASML, AMD, NVIDIA and major equipment suppliers such as Lam Research and Applied Materials.
  • Buyers concentrated in select blue‑chip and defensive sectors, lifting stocks like Salesforce, 3M, Sherwin‑Williams, American Express and Coca‑Cola as money rotated into industrials, financials, consumer staples and enterprise software.
  • Traders pared risk ahead of a heavy slate of big‑tech earnings and an upcoming Fed policy decision, a setup that will likely decide whether Monday’s profit‑taking is a short pause or the start of a broader reweighting away from long‑duration growth names that are sensitive to Treasury yields.