Juan Brignardello Vela
Juan Brignardello, asesor de seguros, se especializa en brindar asesoramiento y gestión comercial en el ámbito de seguros y reclamaciones por siniestros para destacadas empresas en el mercado peruano e internacional.
The recent wave of stock sales in the artificial intelligence sector has begun to extend to the Lima Stock Exchange (BVL), amid a risk-averse environment that has taken hold of global markets. This phenomenon was triggered by the emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese startup that has put tech giants like Nvidia in check, whose shares plummeted nearly 17% in the last session, representing a loss of approximately $600 billion in market capitalization. DeepSeek has captured attention for its disruptive business model, which offers a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, but with significantly lower production costs. This has raised concerns among investors regarding the sustainability of stock prices for companies like Nvidia, which had so far benefited from their dominant position in the development of artificial intelligence technologies. César Huiman, a senior equity research analyst at Renta4 SAB, has pointed out that the efficiency achieved by DeepSeek is "destroying the prices" of Nvidia and other Silicon Valley firms. The situation has been exacerbated by the recent decline of the S&P 500, which fell 1.46%, reflecting a gloomy outlook for tech companies. In this context, the Peruvian stock market has not escaped the trend. At the BVL, Nvidia shares were the most sold of the day, with nearly 9.8 million soles in transactions, a clear indication of the distrust that has taken hold of Peruvian investors. This behavior has been replicated in other assets, including ETFs that track the performance of the S&P 500, which have also suffered a considerable decline. Experts warn that the emergence of DeepSeek and its more efficient technology is leading many to question the high valuation of companies like Nvidia. The pressure on these stocks is palpable, as investors are eager to see how the financial results of major tech firms will perform amid such a volatile scenario. The concern centers on whether these companies will be able to justify their high expenses and meet market expectations. Marco Contreras, head of research at Kallpa SAB, emphasizes that beyond the numbers, what will truly worry investors is what the leaders of these companies, such as Nvidia's CEO, have to say about their future plans. Next week will be crucial, with significant financial reports from Tesla, Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, and Apple. However, Nvidia's results will not be known until February 26, adding an additional layer of uncertainty. The pressure on major tech companies not only comes from emerging competition like DeepSeek but also from a shift in investor mentality. Huiman notes that the market is becoming stricter in evaluating the results of these companies; any negative deviation from expectations could result in significant penalties for their stocks. This scenario has led to greater risk aversion among investors, who are showing a preference for safer assets in a climate of uncertainty. The repercussions of this situation could be broad and affect not only tech stocks but also other interconnected sectors. The decline in the stock prices of large tech companies could influence overall investor confidence and the health of the market as a whole. Additionally, the contagion to the BVL is a clear reflection of how events in international markets can impact smaller economies, such as Peru's. The downward trend in artificial intelligence and technology stocks may lead to a broader reassessment of the future of these industries. As tech companies continue to face increasing pressure, investors will need to be cautious and consider not only financial figures but also the strategic comments that different companies may provide on how they plan to confront this new competition. The immediate future for the technology and artificial intelligence sector appears to be filled with uncertainties, and with it, the challenges for investors multiply. In this context, it will be essential to closely monitor market reactions to the financial results and projections of major tech companies, as well as the evolution of new competitors like DeepSeek, which have proven capable of challenging the existing status quo.
