A brutal sell-off for AI stocks sends Wall Street reeling, and the S&P 500 tumbles 4.4%

NEW YORK (AP) — A brutal sell-off swept through Wall Street, led by stocks tied to the buildout of AI data centers. The S&P 500 fell 4.4% Thursday for its worst drop since President Donald Trump shook markets worldwide in April 2025 with his “Liberation Day” tariffs. The wipeout more than erased the market’s gain from the day before, which was its best in three months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 1,800 points, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 5.5%. AI stocks worldwide felt pressure as worries rise about possible moratoriums on data centers following Democratic victories in the U.S. midterm elections.