Finance

The Nasdaq and S&P 500 have experienced recent pressure due to a selloff in major technology firms, including Apple and Alphabet, as investors question the high capital expenditures required for artificial intelligence. Despite these concerns, chipmakers like Micron have reported strong earnings, creating a divergence within the technology sector and contributing to a jittery market environment.

Bitcoin has struggled to maintain the $60,000 level, recently dipping below it following record weekly institutional outflows of over $1.79 billion from US spot ETFs. The broader cryptocurrency market has mirrored this weakness, with significant tokens like Ethereum and Solana also facing declines as market sentiment remains in a state of extreme fear.

In a notable shift from large-cap dominance, the Russell 2000 index has outperformed the S&P 500 significantly in 2026, posting gains of over 21% through late June. This trend suggests a broadening of market participation, even as higher yields and rising operating costs remain persistent threats to smaller and mid-sized enterprises.