Nasdaq falls 1.38% as MicroStrategy plummets 17%, tech sector under pressure
MicroStrategy Dives, Cybersecurity Deep in the Red
The session was dominated by the collapse of MicroStrategy Inc., which plummeted 17.12% to $106.99, marking by far the steepest drop in the index. The cybersecurity sector also faced significant losses: CrowdStrike fell 9.20% to $377.16, while Zscaler dropped 8.83% to $169.39 and Palo Alto Networks slid 7.17% to $154.77. Qualcomm added to this bleak picture with a decline of 8.46% to $136.30. Datadog lost 7.76% to $106.73, Axon Enterprise plunged 7.20% to $399.65, and Palantir Technologies decreased 6.83% to $130.01. Software stocks weren't spared either: Workday slipped 6.69% to $158.76 and Atlassian fell 6.31% to $98.41.
Arm Holdings and Semiconductor Equipment Makers Stand Out
Amidst this widespread downturn, a few stocks managed to stand out. Arm Holdings made a notable impression by jumping 5.70% to $110.88, marking the best performance of the session. Semiconductor equipment manufacturers also held up well: Applied Materials rose 2.15% to $303.99, KLA Corporation increased by 1.82% to $1,331.03, and Lam Research gained 1.68% to $213.31. Chipmaker Onsemi joined the uptrend with a 1.68% increase to $63.10. Outside of pure tech, Gilead Sciences advanced 2.15% to $149.37, CDW Corporation grew 1.95% to $140.77, and Cisco edged up 1.48% to $82.36. Mondelez International inched up 1.53% to $60.31, and Exelon rose 1.45% to $44.06.
A Mixed Session Highlighting Sector Tensions
The session on February 5 highlights the current fragmentation in the US technology market. While there was demand for semiconductor equipment manufacturers and some defensive stocks, recent leaders in cybersecurity and bitcoin-exposed stocks faced significant rotational shifts. The Nasdaq ended at 24,548.69 points, in a climate where investors appear to be reassessing their positions after several weeks of mixed performances. Disparate individual performance continues to be the hallmark of the start of the year 2026.
This content has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence. While we strive for accuracy, some nuances may differ from the original French version.
