Wall Street slips as investors weigh economic data and Middle East tensions


US stocks closed slightly lower—Dow, S&P and Nasdaq down under 0.3%—as chip shares fell amid worries over high AI valuations and lingering Middle East tensions.

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What stands out

Wall Street finished modestly lower, with the main indexes down less than 0.3%, as investors weighed fresh economic data and renewed tensions in the Middle East. Chipmaker shares led the slide, reflecting growing anxiety that frothy valuations in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) trade are fragile once growth or margins wobble. The clip matters because it shows a market that moves in small increments, yet remains governed by two outsized forces, narrative-driven tech valuations and geopolitical risk, that can turn a yawn into a sprint overnight.