Chip Stocks Face Reality Check as Markets Navigate Inflation Fears

The world's largest contract chipmaker reported blowout quarterly figures, yet the market reception remains tepid. Investors are wary, remembering how Europe’s ASML saw its shares slide despite beating earnings expectations earlier this week. This caution extends to South Korea, where the central bank’s recent interest rate hike and a regulatory crackdown on leveraged single-stock funds have pressured high-flying tech equities.

SpaceX shares have also hit a milestone, retreating below their $135 IPO price for the first time since the company’s massive $75 billion debut last month. Despite a $1.8 trillion market capitalization, the firm faces further volatility in August as insider lockup periods expire and the company prepares to release its first earnings report as a public entity.

While the S&P 500 managed a modest gain following a softer-than-expected Producer Prices Index report, the path forward remains precarious. Rising oil prices, now hovering above $80 per barrel, threaten to undermine recent inflation relief. With the Fed’s preferred core PCE gauge still tracking above 3%, market participants are closely watching today’s slate of retail sales and jobless claims, alongside commentary from Federal Reserve officials including Philip Jefferson and Lorie Logan.