Finance

European stocks slide as AI fears weigh; Nvidia bid hangs over markets

European stocks opened lower as risk-off sentiment returned amid AI-demand jitters, with the Stoxx 600 down around 0.7% at the bell. Nvidia’s reported stall on a $100 billion OpenAI investment adds a fresh headwind as investors reprice AI exposure across equities, crypto, and commodities.

📅 February 02, 2026
⏱️ 2 min read
European stocks slide as AI fears weigh; Nvidia bid hangs over markets

Key Takeaways

  • The Stoxx 600 opened down about 0.7% at the open.
  • Mining stocks fell roughly 3% and oil stocks about 2.3%.
  • Bitcoin traded below $80,000 for the first time since April, with gold down ~9% and silver around -30%.
  • Nvidia’s plan to invest $100 billion into OpenAI reportedly stalled per WSJ sources

People Involved

  • Jensen HuangNvidia CEO

Entities Involved

  • Nvidia CorporationTechnology company driving AI demand
  • OpenAIAI research organization collaborating on AI strategy with Nvidia
  • Julius Baer GroupSwiss private bank with upcoming earnings data calendar
  • Stoxx 600Pan-European stock index serving as a market benchmark

MarketMoodz Analysis

The market mood is skewed toward risk-off across asset classes as AI demand concerns surface and traders reassess exposure to AI-driven equities. A negative cross-asset impulse is visible in European equities, a retreat in crypto, and a sharp pullback in precious metals, underscoring liquidity constraints and caution even as Nvidia’s AI roadmap remains a focal point for tech investors.

Historically, AI-driven cycles have amplified volatility around narrative drivers like Nvidia’s product cadence and OpenAI collaboration. The sharp moves in gold and silver, along with Bitcoin’s dip below $80,000, suggest traders are seeking liquidity and hedges in a fragile window for AI demand visibility. Watch Nvidia’s updates on AI demand signals, OpenAI-related developments, and upcoming data such as Julius Baer’s earnings and European retail/car-sales figures for clues on the durability of the risk-off shift.

Source: Original Article

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