U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Friday after investors continued to sell off technology and artificial intelligence-related stocks and move funds to safer sectors such as health care and consumer staples.
The S&P 500 fell 0.1% Nasdaq Composite Index It fell 0.2%, and by the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down about 70 points, or 0.1%. For the week, the S&P 500 fell more than 1% and the Nasdaq fell about 4% amid a selloff in technology stocks.
The Dow was the only major index to post gains this week, rising about 0.6%. Technology stocks remain under pressure after The New York Times reported that OpenAI may delay its planned IPO until next year. According to reports, the delay is related to the weak share price performance of SpaceX after its initial public offering and the recent volatility of artificial intelligence-related stocks.
OpenAI IPO postponed
JPMorgan traders said the IPO delay raised concerns about whether artificial intelligence companies can continue to invest heavily in infrastructure if capital market financing slows. Adam Crisafulli of Vital Knowledge said delaying the OpenAI IPO could slow future spending on AI infrastructure.
Chip stocks fall
Chip stocks fell sharply after the report was released. Micron Technology fell 4%, AMD fell 2%, and Intel fell more than 3%. The sell-off in tech stocks spread to Asia, where markets also saw heavy losses. Shares of SoftBank Group, one of OpenAI’s largest investors, plunged more than 12% during Asian trading.
Major index closing data:
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: 51,920.62 (+0.10%)
- S&P 500: 7,357.49 (-0.01%)
- Nasdaq Composite: 25,358.60 (-0.46%)
Healthcare stocks rise
The S&P 500 technology sector fell about 1% as investors continued to sell off chipmakers. Healthcare stocks attracted fresh buying after performing well in the previous session. Eli Lilly rose 7%, Johnson & Johnson gained more than 3% and AbbVie gained more than 1%. Other defensive segments also performed well. Consumer staples rose more than 1%, financials gained 0.8% and utilities gained 0.4%.
Also read: Alphabet joins Dow Jones: Why Google parent company is replacing Verizon
Better-than-expected U.S. consumer confidence data and an improving inflation outlook provided some support to the market. Oil prices have remained low even after President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating a ceasefire agreement. Trump claimed that Iran had launched attack drones at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was a violation of the ceasefire.
Oil prices remain low
Even after Trump’s comments, U.S. crude oil On Friday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil fell 4.1% and Brent crude oil fell 4.5%. According to CNBC, John Flood of Goldman Sachs said that despite recent market volatility, investors are still in a “buy the dip” mentality.
Wedbush initiated coverage on quantum computing company Infleqtion with an “outperform” rating and a $20 price target, which would imply an upside of about 56% from Thursday’s closing price, CNBC reported. Despite the positive rating, Infleqtion shares are down about 12% this year. Citigroup upgraded Allegiant to “buy” from “hold” and raised its price target to $156, suggesting upside potential of about 42%.
Healthcare Lead Week
SpaceX shares climbed to over $200 after listing at $150, but have since fallen back to around the IPO price. Healthcare was the best-performing sector this week, rising more than 7% for its strongest weekly gain since June 2022. The healthcare sector has outperformed the S&P 500, which is down about 1.8% for the week.
Bio-Techne is up more than 22% this week, while Incyte is up more than 15%, leading health care stocks higher. Pfizer and DexCom were the weakest performers among health care stocks, with both down more than 4% for the week.
Which sectors are performing well (June 25, 2026)
Today’s industry performance
- Healthcare: up about 2.2% (top performing sector)
- Consumer Discretionary: up about 1.6%
- Real estate: up about 1.1%
- Consumer staples: up about 1.0%
- Financial industry: up about 0.5%
- Information technology: down about 0.6%
- Energy: down about 0.5%
- industry: Down about 0.8% (from Bloomberg)
Overall, markets on Friday were driven by a sustained sell-off in artificial intelligence and chip stocks, while investors moved money into health care and other defensive sectors, helping limit broader market losses.
