2026.01.0815:18:02UTC+00US Stocks Trade Choppy Session Mixed

On Thursday, U.S. stock performance varied across different sectors due to ongoing uncertainties regarding the scale of interest rate reductions by the Federal Reserve this year and the underlying factors surrounding AI capital expenditure commitments. The S&P 500 and the Dow showed slight gains, whereas tech sector losses drove the Nasdaq 100 down by 0.5%. Major tech firms largely maintained their decline from the previous session, following increased scrutiny after speculative investments in AI adoption boosted software and data center infrastructure stocks last year. Companies such as Broadcom, Oracle, and Micron experienced declines exceeding 3%. Conversely, defense sector stocks saw a notable rise after President Trump declared a projected increase in the U.S. military budget to $1.5 trillion by 2027, coinciding with the U.S.'s strategic capture of Venezuelan President Maduro and the White House's aggressive stance on Greenland. Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Northrop Grumman advanced between 4% and 8%.