China's DeepSeek fuels US stock market chaos: Tech stocks slump, Nvidia plunges 17%, Nasdaq drops 3.1%, S&P 500 slides 1.5%

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has emerged as a strong competitor, causing a major sell-off in US tech stocks. Nvidia witnessed a dramatic 17.95% drop. DeepSeek’s R1 model, which matches US-developed AI systems at a lower cost, has raised investor concerns about the future of AI investments. Accusations of secret access to NVIDIA’s chips add to the controversy.
China's DeepSeek fuels US stock market chaos: Tech stocks slump, Nvidia plunges 17%, Nasdaq drops 3.1%, S&P 500 slides 1.5%
Wall Street faced a major shock on Monday as Chinese AI startup DeepSeek emerged as a formidable competitor, triggering a sell-off in US tech stocks. NVIDIA, one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom, saw its stock plunge by almost 17%, closing at $118.58 . This came after DeepSeek, a Chinese startup founded in 2023, announced its latest AI model, R1, which reportedly matches US-developed models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT at a fraction of the cost.
The news unsettled investors, who fear that such advancements could disrupt the lucrative AI supply chain that has driven Silicon Valley’s growth. “This is AI’s Sputnik moment,” venture capitalist Marc Andreessen told news agency AP.
The impact was immediate and widespread. The S&P 500 dipped 1.7%, with tech stocks suffering the brunt of the losses. Shares of Microsoft and Meta Platforms, both heavily invested in AI infrastructure, saw sharp declines, while bond yields fell as investors sought safer assets.

What we know so far:


Nasdaq drops 3.1% as AI-driven sell-off hits big tech


The Nasdaq Composite fell 3.1% on Monday, dragged down by sharp losses in Big Tech, including Nvidia’s 17% plunge. The S&P 500 dropped 1.5%, its worst day in over a month, while utilities linked to AI data centres also slumped. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7%, as stocks outside AI-related industries held steady amidst the turmoil sparked by DeepSeek’s announcement of a cost-efficient AI model.
China's DeepSeek triggers global tech sell-off

DeepSeek’s rise to prominence


DeepSeek gained international attention after its AI assistant app climbed to the top of Apple’s free app chart in the US over the weekend. The company claims its R1 model demonstrates advanced reasoning abilities, similar to OpenAI’s most expensive systems, but at a fraction of the cost. Analysts have noted that DeepSeek may have bypassed US-imposed restrictions on accessing NVIDIA’s cutting-edge chips, a claim that remains under scrutiny.
Gregory Allen of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said, “The timing of DeepSeek’s release is strategic, potentially undermining US efforts to maintain technological dominance through export controls.”

Investor concerns


NVIDIA’s dramatic 17% slump highlights growing investor fears that the AI gold rush, which had propelled the company to a trillion-dollar valuation, could be under threat. The company’s stock had soared from under $20 to over $140 in just two years, fuelled by explosive demand for AI chips.
“This news questions the economics of AI investments,” said analyst Kathleen Brooks of XTB. “If China can produce comparable models so cheaply, US tech giants may need to reassess their strategies.”

Global repercussions


DeepSeek’s announcement also rattled international markets. Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML saw its shares drop 7%, while Japan’s SoftBank fell 8.3%. In the US, Constellation Energy shares plummeted nearly 20% after the company announced plans to restart a nuclear plant to power AI data centres.


Accusations and scepticism


Amid the panic, industry figures like Elon Musk have raised suspicions that DeepSeek may have secretly accessed banned Nvidia H100 chips. However, Hong Kong-based investor Jen Zhu Scott dismissed these claims, stating, “It sounds like a rich kids’ team got outplayed by a poor kids’ team.”
Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon remained cautious, saying, “DeepSeek’s models are impressive but not miraculous. The market reaction appears overblown.”
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