Stocks fall as investors mull AI disruptions, oil prices rise
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., February 27, 2026. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
NEW YORK, Feb 27 : Global stocks edged lower on Friday, weighed down by persistent concerns about high valuations and the disruptive force of AI, while the potential for oil supply disruptions due to tensions between the U.S. and Iran lifted crude prices.
Market sentiment has weakened as investors worry about the broader impact of artificial intelligence on technology companies, even after AI chipmaker Nvidia posted better-than-expected results. Shares in Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, were down 3.5 per cent, extending losses from the prior session.
Wall Street ended lower, with the benchmark S&P 500 dropping 0.43 per cent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 1.05 per cent and the Nasdaq Composite off by 0.92 per cent.
"We're just in a stage in the market cycle where not just the market but that particular industry group - semiconductors, that's up more than 100 per cent in a year - have priced in a lot of good news. And now it's time for a breather," said Talley Leger, chief market strategist at The Wealth Consulting Group.
Semiconductor stocks lost 1.2 per cent.
"I love semiconductor companies," Leger said. "As a group, the share prices have achieved my return objectives so at this stage I have locked in and protected the gains in these stocks since the April lows."
MSCI's All Country World Index fell 0.25 per cent on Friday but was up 0.35 per cent for the week and nearly 1.2 per cent in February.
Europe's STOXX 600 added 0.11 per cent.
U.S.-IRAN TALKS CONTINUE
Markets were also watching developments in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks as Washington amassed more military resources in the Middle East.
An Omani mediator gave an optimistic summary of the latest negotiations but there were no obvious signs of a breakthrough that could avert potential U.S. strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he was still unhappy with Iran, threatening to use force if necessary to reach an agreement.
The U.S. and Iran plan to resume negotiations after consultations in their countries' capitals, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X after meetings in Switzerland.
U.S. crude rose 2.78 per cent to settle at $67.02 a barrel and Brent settled up 2.45 per cent at $72.48.
In the bond market, the yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes fell 6.3 basis points to 3.96 per cent. The 2-year note yield fell 6.3 basis points to 3.385 per cent.
In Europe, the yield on the benchmark German 10-year Bunds fell 1 basis point to 2.644 per cent.
STARMER FALTERS
Sterling was down 0.07 per cent at $1.34471 after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party suffered an election defeat in the Greater Manchester area, where it has dominated for almost a century.
Japanese data showed cooling inflation in Tokyo and weaker-than-expected factory output, complicating the case for policy rate increases by the central bank.
The yen pared gains and was down 0.03 per cent at 156.18 against the dollar.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was down 0.06 per cent at 97.67. The euro rose 0.14 per cent to $1.1813 against the dollar.
Spot gold rose 1.5 per cent to $5,263.59 an ounce. Spot silver rose 6.1 per cent to $93.74 an ounce.
