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The day on Wall Street was turbulent, with major indices suffering large losses in the wake of weak earnings reports from technology giants Tesla (TSLA) and Google (GOOGL). Here’s a breakdown of the key developments:

Tesla’s Profit Slump
 

Tesla, the EV pioneer led by CEO Elon Musk, faced a challenging quarter. The company reported a 45% drop in quarterly profits, despite Musk’s insistence that Tesla is more than just a car maker. The primary culprit? Discounting by electric car manufacturers. Investors quickly reacted and Tesla’s stock fell by 12%.

Google’s Alphabet and AI Investment
 

The heat was also felt by Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube. While their profits weren’t terrible, the fact that they keep pouring billions into artificial intelligence (AI) raise eyebrows. Some investors are wondering when this massive investment will lead to the sort of results that have been achieved in other areas of artificial intelligence. “Whilst Alphabet’s news wasn’t awful, the fact they’re still ploughing billions into (artificial intelligence) has caused some to begin questioning when enough will be enough, or at least when the expenditure will deliver the kind of results investors have been salivating over elsewhere in the AI space said, Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell. The market responded with a 5% drop in Alphabet’s stock.

Tech Sector Jitters
 

The technology-focused Nasdaq index experienced its largest single-day decline since October 2022, down by 3.6%. If the tech sector continues to face headwinds, it could have broader implications for the entire market. Wall Street remains on edge, as other tech heavyweights, including Meta (META), Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), and Amazon (AMZN), prepare to release their earnings updates. David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation said: “I can’t help thinking [that] if the tech sector does sneeze, the whole market could catch it”.

In summary, Wall Street’s recent woes stem from Tesla’s profit slump and Alphabet’s AI investment. Investors are closely monitoring the tech sector, aware that a sneeze in tech could lead to a market-wide cold. Stay tuned as the remaining “Magnificent Seven” tech giants reveal their financial performance in the coming weeks.

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