New York, Jan 20, 2026, 08:05 EST — Premarket.
- Nvidia shares dipped roughly 2.6% in premarket action following a warning from a major supplier about potential challenges for Nvidia’s H200 AI chip sales in China. 1
- The stock faced selling pressure along with the wider tech sector as U.S. stock futures dropped amid fresh tariff concerns linked to a Greenland dispute. 2
- Investors are turning their attention to Nvidia’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 25, seeking insight into demand from China and the rollout of products in 2026. 3
Nvidia shares slipped roughly 2.6% in premarket, hovering near $181.35. That’s set to drag the stock below its last close around $186.23. 1
The move came after Taiwan’s Inventec, a major AI server manufacturer, reported that Nvidia’s H200 chip seems “stuck” on China’s end despite U.S. export approval under specific conditions. 4
Inventec President Jack Tsai noted that U.S. regulations aren’t the sole obstacle—the ultimate call lies with Chinese officials. This comes amid reports that Chinese customs have halted the chip’s import. 4
Why this matters now: China remains a crucial market for high-end AI accelerators, so delays in shipments could throw off Nvidia’s short-term revenue and disrupt delivery timelines for data-center systems relying on its GPUs (graphics processing units). 4
The H200 ranks among Nvidia’s top data-center processors designed for training and deploying large AI models. A customs backlog, even a short-lived one, risks delaying server assembly and could push uncertainty over demand timing into Q1. 4
Risk-off sentiment deepened, sending S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures down to their lowest levels in a month. The move came after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on multiple European nations over a spat involving Greenland, driving investors into safer assets. 2
Nvidia frequently moves in sync with other AI-related semiconductor stocks during volatile sessions. Traders noted that positioning now reacts as strongly to geopolitics and export policy updates as it does to product-cycle developments. 2
A major “but/risks” factor here: the situation remains unclear. It’s uncertain if China’s customs move is an outright ban, a compliance check, or a bargaining chip in wider talks. Any shift in U.S.-China tech policy could swiftly alter how Nvidia’s China exposure is valued. 4
Investors are keeping an eye on peers linked to data-center expansions, like Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom, as these names often move in response to AI spending trends. 2
