Markets pulled back from record highs Tuesday morning after Alphabet announced a plan to raise $80 billion in new equity to fund its artificial intelligence infrastructure push.
The move spooked some investors who are already watching Big Tech spending closely.
Alphabet said it plans to issue $80 billion in stock, with $10 billion going to Berkshire Hathaway at a discount. The funds will go toward building out the company’s AI infrastructure.
Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Matt Britzman said the move is “a clear sign that the AI arms race is moving into a more capital-hungry phase.”
He added that the $80 billion figure is less than 2% of Alphabet’s $4.6 trillion market cap, which puts the size of the raise in context.
Still, Britzman noted that the days of tech giants operating as “capital-light free cash flow machines” appear to be over.
Alphabet shares were down around 1% in pre-market trading.
Dow futures dropped 210 points, or 0.4%, ahead of Tuesday’s open. S&P 500 futures were down 0.2%. Nasdaq 100 futures were broadly flat.
All three major indexes closed at new records on Monday, lifted in part by a rally in software stocks.
Tuesday’s dip reflects a more cautious mood as investors processed both the Alphabet news and ongoing uncertainty around U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.
President Trump announced Monday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to stop attacks. He also said talks with Iran were continuing “at a rapid pace,” which helped ease some tension.
Oil prices fell around 1% on hopes of further progress. Brent crude dropped to around $93 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate slid to $91 a barrel.
The 10-year Treasury yield was 2 basis points lower at 4.44%. The dollar edged down 0.1% against a basket of currencies.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise was a bright spot, with shares jumping more than 20% after the company reported a record quarter driven by AI data center demand.
Investors will also get a look at the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey on Tuesday. It’s the first in a series of jobs data releases ahead of the May jobs report on Friday.
Earnings continue to trickle in, with Palo Alto Networks, Dollar General, Ulta Beauty, and Victoria’s Secret all scheduled to report on Tuesday.
The Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates remains a watching point for markets, especially if economic data this week shows signs of strain from rising prices.
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