Stocks Flat at Open as Tech Faces China Chip Deal Fallout, Trump Targets D.C.

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U.S. stocks opened Monday on a muted note as investors weighed strong corporate earnings against geopolitical and policy risks, including a high-profile policy shift in the semiconductor sector and a contentious political announcement in Washington.

At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 17.96 points, or 0.04%, to 44,193.63. The S&P 500 added 2.04 points, or 0.03%, to 6,391.49, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.63 points, or 0.01%, to 21,457.60. Wedbush Securities cautioned that narrowing market breadth since late July, coupled with seasonal weakness in August and September, leaves rallies more vulnerable to sharp pullbacks.

Tech Sector in Focus Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices came under early pressure after the Financial Times reported that both companies agreed to give the U.S. government 15% of certain chip sales revenue to China in exchange for export licenses—a first-of-its-kind arrangement. The deal covers Nvidia’s H20 and AMD’s MI308 AI accelerators and reverses an April ban on H20 exports under the Trump administration. Despite Wells Fargo’s recent $220 price target on Nvidia, citing strong data center demand, shares fell 1.4% premarket, with AMD down 2.6%.

Bitcoin Extends Rally Toward $120K Bitcoin traded at $119,508.80 in early dealings, up 0.71%, edging closer to the $120,000 mark amid strong institutional buying. According to provided data, U.S. pension allowances for crypto investments and speculation over potential gold tariffs have fueled demand, with digital asset firms now holding $113 billion in Bitcoin and $13 billion in Ethereum. Analysts see potential for a year-end move to $150,000, though they warn that hotter inflation readings could spark volatility.

Political Spotlight on D.C.

President Donald Trump is set to speak at 10 a.m. to unveil a crime-fighting initiative in the nation’s capital. In a Truth Social post this morning, he pledged that “Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today! Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR… D.C. is next!!!” The remarks follow criticism from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who called White House comparisons to war zones “hyperbolic and false.”

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