Nvidia Export Curbs Drag Down Tech Stocks, U.S. Futures Slip Amid Trade Tensions

U.S. stock index futures dropped Tuesday evening, led by steep losses in the tech sector after Nvidia warned of a major earnings impact from new U.S. export restrictions to China. S&P 500 Futures fell 0.8% to 5,384.00, Nasdaq 100 Futures declined 1.3% to 18,718.75, and Dow Jones Futures dropped 0.4% to 40,414.00.

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) tumbled 6% in after-hours trading after revealing it would take a $5.5 billion charge due to tighter U.S. government curbs. The company now needs a license to export its popular H20 AI chips to China, triggering a broad sell-off in semiconductor and AI stocks. AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) plunged nearly 7%, while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) and Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) lost 1.9% and 3.4%, respectively. TSMC (NYSE:TSM), a key Nvidia supplier, dropped 2%.

The broader tech sector also took a hit, with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) shedding over 1% each. Investors remain cautious over potential supply chain disruptions from escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, which are seen as a threat to global tech firms.

Wall Street ended Tuesday slightly lower as uncertainty surrounding former President Donald Trump's tariff plans, especially on electronics and pharmaceuticals, kept markets jittery. The S&P 500 closed down 0.2% at 5,396.60, the Nasdaq dipped to 16,823.17, and the Dow fell 0.4% to 40,368.96.

Investors are now eyeing upcoming earnings from ASML (AS:ASML), Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT), and Progressive Corp (NYSE:PGR), as well as key U.S. economic data, including retail sales and industrial production. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is also scheduled to speak, potentially offering further clues on monetary policy.