Tech Selloff: Which Stocks Are Winning?

Tech Selloff: Which Stocks Are Winning? 

US stocks have slumped over the past three weeks, with major names like Nvidia [NVDA] and Tesla [TSLA] seeing sharp declines. Investors are shifting to defensive plays — utilities like American Water Works [AWK] are up, while Merck [MRK] has gained 10%, the Financial Times detailed. Elsewhere, steel stocks, including US Steel [X] and Nucor [NUE], have outperformed amid US President Donald Trump’s threat of 50% tariffs on Canadian imports.

A New Generation of Helpful Robots?

DeepMind, a subsidiary of Alphabet’s [GOOGL] Google, has unveiled Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER, artificial intelligence (AI) models designed to enhance robot adaptability in complex environments. Leveraging large language model reasoning, the models represent “a new generation of helpful robots”, the firm said in a press release (see today’s Editor’s Picks, below). 

UAE Backs Binance

Chaired by UAE national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi’s MGX is investing $2bn in Binance, marking one of the largest deals in the digital asset industry and the first institutional investment in the world’s biggest crypto exchange. The minority stake will be paid in stablecoins, though the specific type was not disclosed. MGX has primarily focused on AI but is now expanding into blockchain and finance.

Will Synopsys Continue to See Demand for AI Chip Design?

Given Synopsys’ [SNPS] vital role in AI infrastructure, it is unsurprising that the chip design stock got caught up in the DeepSeek selloff at the end of January, leaving its share price at 52-week lows. With the pending acquisition of Ansys [ANSS] set to create an “engineering-software juggernaut” with strong financial metrics, OPTO examines if the low share price represents a buying opportunity for SNPS stock.

Intel Pops on New CEO

The chipmaker [INTC] has appointed former board member and ex-Cadence Design Systems [CDNS] CEO Lip-Bu Tan as its new head. The stock surged nearly 10% in extended trading following the announcement, Seeking Alpha noted. Tan, who left Cadence in 2021 after a 12-year tenure, replaces interim co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus, who took over after Pat Gelsinger’s abrupt retirement in December 2024.

The Quantum Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting For?       

D-Wave [QBTS] claims it has achieved “quantum supremacy”, solving a problem beyond the reach of classical computers, according to a study in Science, a seen by the Financial Times. Unlike rivals aiming for universal quantum machines, D-Wave focuses on quantum annealing, which is optimized for complex problem-solving and materials simulations. The milestone follows 25 years of research and over $500m in investment.

OPTO Sessions: Logitech’s “Customer Fixation” 

“It’s always about keeping the focus on what the customer needs. And if you’re focused exclusively on that, you’ll always work out what you can do as a business.” James Campanini, Logitech’s [LOGI] Head of B2B for Europe, joins OPTO Sessions to talk about customer-centric design, creating long-lasting products and the importance of being “platform agnostic”.