Chip Stocks Tumble as China Competition and AI Spending Fears Mount

Micron Technology led the decline among major players, shedding 8.2% to reach $826.60 by midday. The sell-off rippled across the sector, pulling down Advanced Micro Devices by 6.7% and Marvell Technology by 5.4%. Memory-focused manufacturers faced even steeper losses: SanDisk, Western Digital, and Seagate Technology dropped 13%, 7.6%, and 8%, respectively.

The market volatility traces back to the rapid ascent of CXMT, a Chinese memory-chip maker that debuted on the mainland exchange this week to become the country's most valuable listed company. This emergence threatens to disrupt established players like SK Hynix and Micron, the latter of which is currently navigating a dispute with Apple over the potential use of Chinese components in international products. SK Hynix ADRs have mirrored this instability, falling 32% from their recent peak.

Beyond geopolitical friction, the industry is grappling with the sustainability of AI-related expenditures. Recent reports of negative free cash flow at Alphabet and Tesla have triggered a broader retreat from high-growth technology stocks. While Nvidia remained relatively flat, the prevailing sentiment suggests investors are increasingly wary of the long-term returns on the multi-billion dollar data-center projects currently defining the sector.