Applied Materials stock slides 6% as chip tools sink; Wall Street eyes earnings and AI jitters
Applied Materials shares fell 6% to $299.39 in late-morning trading, leading losses among chip equipment makers as the sector dropped. Lam Research slid 7.7%, ASML lost 3.4%, and KLA fell 2.1%. The declines followed renewed concerns about AI-driven demand and a weak outlook from Advanced Micro Devices. Investors are watching for Applied’s next results on Feb. 12 for signs of customer spending trends.