Global Markets Tumble in Risk-Off Mode: Tech Selloff Spreads from Wall Street to Asia and Europe

18 November 2025 – Financial Markets Roundup (Last 24 Hours)

Global equity markets delivered a synchronized selloff over the past 24 hours as profit-taking in megacap technology names, renewed doubts over near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts, and lingering trade tensions triggered broad-based risk reduction. The catalyst remained Nvidia’s pre-earnings weakness, which dragged the Nasdaq Composite down 0.84 % on Monday and sent shockwaves through AI-exposed stocks worldwide.

In the United States, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 557 points (–1.18 %) lower at 46,590, the S&P 500 lost 0.92 % to breach its 200-day moving average for the first time since April, and the Nasdaq ended at 22,708 (–0.84 %). Nvidia itself fell nearly 2 % ahead of Wednesday’s highly anticipated results, while the probability of a December Fed cut dropped to just 41 % according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

The rout quickly spilled into Asia overnight, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunging 2.43 %, South Korea’s Kospi shedding 2.3 %, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropping more than 1 %. Chinese mainland indices closed modestly lower amid continued foreign outflows and soft economic data, while Australia’s ASX 200 ended 0.41 % weaker.

European markets followed suit on Monday, with the STOXX 600 declining 0.6 %, Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 both in the red, and London’s FTSE 100 slipping 0.24 %. Defensive rotation was evident as autos and select financials outperformed, but technology names such as SAP remained under heavy pressure.

Despite the gloom, pockets of resilience emerged: Berkshire Hathaway’s new stake in Alphabet boosted Google shares 3 % in New York, and European ad giant WPP surged 11 % on private-equity interest. Trading volumes jumped 20 % above average globally, reflecting aggressive repositioning ahead of this week’s delayed U.S. jobs report (November 20) and Nvidia earnings.

Analysts view the pullback as a healthy digestion of 2025’s sharp gains rather than the start of a deeper correction, with seasonal tailwinds still favoring a year-end rally. However, any disappointment from Nvidia’s guidance or a hotter-than-expected payroll print could push December rate-cut odds even lower and prolong volatility into December.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, Financial Times, Yahoo Finance, CME Group (data as of 18 November 2025, 09:00 GST)