NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – U.S. markets closed lower on Monday, with the main indexes feeling the pressure from falling artificial intelligence and semiconductor shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 152.09 points, or 0.3%, ending the day at 52,421.20. The Nasdaq Composite also experienced a 0.6% decrease, settling at 26,186.41. Technology stocks led the downward momentum, although gains in other sectors helped to limit the overall decline. During the session, more companies within the S&P 500 advanced than declined.
Nvidia saw a decrease of 3.4%, becoming one of the largest contributors to the declines across major indexes. The Philadelphia semiconductor index dropped 5.9%. Additionally, Micron Technology, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices finished the day lower. The downturn coincided with calls from several leading technology executives for a slowdown in artificial intelligence development, citing safety concerns. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei endorsed a cautious approach. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI founder Elon Musk also supported decelerating AI progress.
Conversely, software stocks advanced during the session. Intuit gained 5.5%, Autodesk increased by 7.8%, and Adobe rose 5.3%. These gains helped offset some of the downward pressure from semiconductor and AI-related firms. The mixed trading pattern resulted in the S&P 500 experiencing a smaller decline compared to the technology sector. Meanwhile, financial stocks showed uneven performance, with Bank of America dropping 5.1% after its CEO mentioned weaker investment banking fees.
Oil prices climb, adding strain to global markets
On Tuesday, oil prices rose once again amid ongoing disruptions to Middle East energy infrastructure, impacting supply routes. Brent crude increased approximately 1.2%, reaching $106.96 per barrel in Asian trading. U.S. crude also rose about 1.3%, closing at $102.68. Brent had settled at $105.68 on Monday, after approaching $110 earlier in the day. Damage to Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure disrupted a major pipeline, and shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz remained significantly reduced.
Bond markets showed the effects of rising energy prices and inflation worries, with the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield briefly surpassing 5% on Monday, marking the first time since 2023. It later eased to 4.98%, compared with 4.96% late Friday. The Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting began Tuesday, with an announcement expected Wednesday. The Fed has maintained its benchmark federal funds target range at 3.5% to 3.75% since early 2026.
Markets in Asia remain mixed amid focus on rates, energy, and tech
Asian markets traded unevenly on Tuesday, as investors kept close watch on oil prices, Treasury yields, and U.S. technology sector declines. Japan’s Nikkei rose about 0.2%, while South Korea’s Kospi declined roughly 0.3%. The U.S. dollar stayed near a two-week high against major currencies. Brent crude stayed above $106 per barrel. After Monday’s sharp losses in semiconductor and technology stocks, Nvidia and other large AI-related firms continued to be in focus.
The Federal Reserve’s September meeting extends through Wednesday, including updates to economic forecasts. Its July policy statement highlighted that inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% goal, also mentioning energy-related supply shocks. U.S. gasoline prices have increased alongside crude oil, with the national average nearing $4.32 a gallon—up from about $4.08 a month earlier and $3.18 a year ago. As markets open Tuesday, oil prices stay above $100 and Treasury yields hover near 5%.