New York, Feb 1, 2026, 05:02 EST — Market closed.
- Nvidia shares fell 0.7% on Friday, ending the session at $191.13.
- CEO Jensen Huang dismissed reports of strained ties, saying Nvidia plans a “huge” investment in OpenAI.
- Sources told Reuters that China has given conditional approval for AI startup DeepSeek to purchase Nvidia’s H200 chips.
Nvidia shares kick off the week as investors digest two key developments: CEO Jensen Huang’s weekend remarks on funding for OpenAI, and early indications that China might be easing restrictions on imports of Nvidia’s top-tier H200 chips.
The market’s closed for the weekend, yet the headlines still carry weight. Nvidia stands at the heart of major AI computing investments — investments now tangled with politics, financing issues, and supply chain bottlenecks.
Traders recalibrated rate bets following a sharp Friday shift in risk appetite, sending chip stocks tumbling as the changes hit quickly.
Speaking in Taipei, Huang dismissed claims he was unhappy with OpenAI as “nonsense” and confirmed Nvidia would “absolutely” join OpenAI’s current funding round. He said Nvidia plans to put in “a great deal of money,” likely “the largest investment we’ve ever made,” but stressed it won’t approach $100 billion. Reuters
China has granted its leading AI startup DeepSeek the green light to purchase Nvidia’s H200 AI chips, according to two sources familiar with the matter, though final regulatory conditions remain under discussion. These approvals, which also apply to other major buyers, come with stipulations from Chinese ministries and the state planner. The move could still face scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers, the report added.
Nvidia shares closed Friday down 0.72% at $191.13, having fluctuated between $189.47 and $194.49 during the session. About 179 million shares traded hands.
Wolfe Research bumped up its price target on Nvidia to $275 from $250 on Friday, pointing to strong demand for rack-scale systems, rising average selling prices, and steady margins.
The broader market dragged late in the week. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.94% on Friday after U.S. producer prices — measured by the Producer Price Index, a key gauge of wholesale inflation — jumped 0.5% last month, well above economists’ 0.2% forecast. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump selected Kevin Warsh as his nominee for the next Federal Reserve chair. “Today’s volatility … it’s more of a function of inflationary indicators,” said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Asset Management. Reuters
For Nvidia, that balance is crucial. Persistent inflation can keep yields elevated, and rising rates usually pressure long-duration growth stocks with earnings projected far ahead — even if demand remains strong.
Rate-sensitive events dominate the week ahead. The ISM manufacturing PMI, a key survey tracking factory output, drops on the month’s first business day. Then, all eyes turn to Friday’s U.S. January jobs report at 8:30 a.m. ET, a crucial indicator for the Fed’s potential easing later this year.
Nvidia plans to release its fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter and full-year results on Feb. 25, followed by a conference call at 2 p.m. PT. CFO Colette Kress will share written remarks just ahead of the call.
Until then, the OpenAI funding round will probably loom over the stock, serving as a quick reference for who’s backing the next surge in AI computing—and under what conditions.
Yet these threads also bring risk. Details on the size and structure of any OpenAI investment are still unknown, and a change in how U.S. and Chinese authorities regulate high-end chip flows could swiftly sour sentiment.
New York trading kicks off the real test Monday, Feb. 2. Then all eyes shift to Feb. 25, when Nvidia reports its results and outlook.
