US stocks end higher as CoreWeave results ease AI spending worries

On November 11, US stocks closed higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each surging more than 1%. The rally followed positive earnings from neocloud firm CoreWeave, which eased investor concerns about the AI trade's sustainability. CoreWeave shares surged 24.7%, marking the largest daily percentage jump in over three months. The company indicated it would become profitable in the first half of 2028 on an adjusted basis, aiming to reassure investors about its debt-driven expansion.

Sentiment improved across AI infrastructure stocks, with Nebius Group rising 15.4% and Applied Digital surging 7.4%. Nvidia stabilized after two days of sharp declines, recovering from a drop of about US$430 billion (S$550 billion) in market capitalisation over the prior two sessions, amid worries about CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with a Chinese businesswoman alleged to be a spy.

The broader market felt volatile due to concerns over stricter regulation in the AI space following Democratic wins in the US midterm elections and Nvidia's leadership concerns. Oil prices declined, while inflation data pushed Treasury yields sharply higher, causing choppy trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 254.60 points, the S&P 500 gained 98.45 points, and the Nasdaq Composite increased 400.31 points.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor index jumped 5.7%, closing at its highest level since November 3. Despite the recent selling pressure, early indicators suggested investors were buying on dips; however, signs pointed to the early days not being ideal for a definitive conclusion. Investors bought equities even during the market selloff, with all net inflows coming through ETFs and institutional investors, according to Bank of America Global Research analysts.

The S&P 500 technology index, up 2.7%, was the top-performing of the 11 major S&P sectors, with gains in three of the past four sessions. The CBOE Volatility Index fell to a one-week low of 17.49, marking its lowest in a week. Investors also examined Anthropic's IPO terms, set on November 10, aiming for a valuation of up to US$1.4 trillion.

Vanda Research predicted the IPO could draw record retail buying, potentially surpassing SpaceX as one of the largest single-day retail purchases ever.