U.S. equities opened the session little changed, with the semiconductor sector once again in the spotlight following an agreement between top chipmakers and the U.S. government. At the time of writing, the US500 index is flat, the US100 is up 0.20%, and the US2000 is higher by 0.06%.
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Nvidia and AMD will remit 15% of revenue from AI chip sales to China to the U.S. government as a condition for export licenses — effectively making Washington a paid “partner” in their China business.
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According to reports, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang agreed to the framework during a meeting with President Trump, with licenses issued on Friday. AMD announced that the first China licenses were approved on Monday. The agreement covers chips such as Nvidia’s H20 and AMD’s MI308, both previously restricted. Nvidia noted it has not shipped the H20 model to China for months.
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A former U.S. trade negotiator called the arrangement “unprecedented,” framing it as the monetization of trade policy — companies paying the government for export approval.
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Ahead of the August 12 decision on whether to extend a tariff suspension, Trump urged China to quadruple its soybean purchases. The latest “reciprocal” tariffs against U.S. trade partners came into force last week.
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Create account Try a demo Download mobile app Download mobile appThe U.S. market opens in a mixed mood, though it is worth noting that indices are currently near record highs.
US100
The tech-heavy index is up 0.20% today to 23,750 points, testing the all-time high set on July 31.
Stock highlights
Tegna (TGNA.US) jumped 30% after reports Nexstar Media is in advanced talks to acquire the broadcaster, with a deal possibly announced soon.
Cipher Mining (CIFR.US) gained alongside other crypto stocks as Bitcoin briefly hit a record $122K, lifting peers like RIOT, MARA, BTBT, MSTR, COIN, CLSK, HUT, and HIVE.
C3.ai (AI.US) plunged 22% after DA Davidson downgraded to Underperform and cut its target to $13, following preliminary Q1 revenue 33% below guidance and a larger-than-expected loss. The CEO called sales performance “completely unacceptable.”
Aspen Aerogels (ASPN.US) fell 8% after Barclays downgraded to Underweight, citing slowing GM EV production hitting its thermal barrier business. Price target cut to $6 from $7.
