New York, January 9, 2026, 09:21 EST — Premarket
- Nvidia (NVDA) down about 2% in premarket trading
- Reuters: Nvidia is requiring full upfront payment for H200 chip orders in China
- Investors watch China approvals and Nvidia’s Feb. 25 results
Nvidia (NVDA) stock fell 2.1% to $185.04 in premarket trading on Friday, down about $4 from its prior close.
The drop followed a Reuters report that Nvidia is requiring full upfront payment from Chinese customers seeking its H200 artificial intelligence chips, a tougher stance it is using to hedge against uncertainty over Beijing’s approval of the shipments. Chinese officials have also asked some tech companies to pause H200 orders while regulators weigh conditions that could tie Nvidia purchases to buying domestically made chips, the report said. CEO Jensen Huang said this week demand for H200 was “quite high,” but the terms underline how much near-term China sales depend on policy calls in both countries. reuters.com
Nvidia’s move came as broader markets steadied after the U.S. jobs report, with nonfarm payrolls — the monthly count of U.S. jobs outside farming — rising 50,000 in December and the unemployment rate dipping to 4.4%. “This report is really validating some concerns about this low-hire-low-fire environment,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. Investors were also bracing for a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump’s tariffs that could land as soon as Friday. reuters.com
At CES in Las Vegas, Nvidia also rolled out a next-generation platform for self-driving systems that will be used in a robotaxi alliance announced by Lucid, Nuro and Uber, Reuters reported. Ali Kani, general manager of the automotive team at Nvidia, said, “There’s some foundational pieces of technology that make us feel like we’re there.” Mercedes-Benz has said it plans to launch a new advanced driver-assistance system in the United States later this year that lets vehicles operate autonomously on city streets under driver supervision. reuters.com
The stock fell 2.2% in Thursday’s session as investors turned pickier on big tech and AI-linked names; Broadcom slid 3.2% and Microsoft dipped 1.1%, Reuters reported. “While AI is still hot, there are going to be winners and losers,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. reuters.com
For Nvidia, the next tell is whether China orders restart in volume and on what terms, and whether the company can convert demand into revenue without fresh policy shocks. The macro backdrop still matters, too: rates set the mood for high-growth tech, and this tape is jumpy.
But the risks are plain. Beijing could slow approvals or narrow who can buy advanced chips, while Washington’s export stance has proved changeable, and either move can hit expectations fast.
Investors will also look ahead to Nvidia’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 financial results, scheduled for February 25, for guidance on data-center demand and any update on China shipments.
