Open: Tech retreats as Nvidia falls; Dow edges higher

U.S. stocks opened mixed Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, with technology shares lagging shortly after the 9:30 ET bell. The Nasdaq 100 ETF QQQ fell 1.70% to $716.56, while the S&P 500 ETF SPY lost 0.58% to $765.15. The Dow ETF DIA rose 0.29% to $517.10, and the Russell 2000 ETF IWM edged up 0.06% to $271.52.

Nvidia dropped 3.33% to $213.93, contrasting with Apple's 0.63% gain to $345.12. Microsoft slipped 0.07% to $533.32, JPMorgan Chase declined 0.43% to $333.84 and Exxon Mobil fell 0.58% to $175.98. CNBC reported that Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang said the company must work with Chinese AI companies on safety.

Among smaller companies, Aehr Test Systems tumbled 11.57% to $63.22 and Intuitive Machines fell 6.44% to $10.31, while Plug Power was unchanged at $1.45. Mid-cap IonQ lost 3.88% to $30.20, while Celsius Holdings gained 1.80% to $27.66. Micro-cap trading was also divided: Duos Technologies declined 6.61% to $5.23, and ClearSign Technologies rose 4.74% to $2.76.

Treasury yields slid as investors sought safety in bonds amid the technology selloff, CNBC reported. Reuters headlines highlighted rising oil-shipping costs, higher U.S. toy prices ahead of holiday shopping and a UN agency warning that Hormuz shipping disruption was beginning to affect harvests. Those reports put energy transport and broader cost pressures in focus despite Exxon's early decline.

As trading develops, watch whether weakness in Nasdaq-linked shares spreads to the firmer Dow and small-cap proxies. Nvidia and Aehr remain notable gauges of the early selling, while further shipping and energy headlines could draw attention to inflation pressures. Market-structure news is also in focus after CNBC reported that Cboe plans to expand options trading hours for major stocks and ETFs.