Global stocks sputter as Nvidia's growth slows

Global stocks have eased after AI bellwether Nvidia's revenue growth forecast failed to excite investors, while the dollar firmed and bitcoin hit a record high, buoyed by hopes about US President-elect Donald Trump's policies. Geopolitical concerns following an escalation in the Ukraine-Russia conflict earlier this week dented risk sentiment, lifting safe-haven gold and boosting oil prices. The spotlight though was on earnings from Nvidia, the world's most valuable firm, which projected its slowest revenue growth in seven quarters. Futures tracking the tech-adjacent Nasdaq slipped 0.6 per cent, the pan European STOXX 600 dropped 0.3 per cent. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe eased 0.1 per cent on Thursday after being range-bound for most of the week. "While we don't doubt there will be strong demand for Nvidia's products, that does not mean growth rates will be sustained and that is what investors care about," said Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading. "No company experiences this type of growth in perpetuity." Indeed, Nvidia's fourth-quarter forecast indicated the company's revenue growth will slow to roughly 69.5 per cent from 94 per cent in the third-quarter. Demand for the company's AI chips, which dominate the market, remained strong. Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in China and Hong Kong were mixed, while tech heavy Taiwan stocks dropped 0.6 per cent. Attention was also on Indian conglomerate Adani Group after US prosecutors said Gautam Adani, billionaire chair of the group, has been indicted in New York over his role in an alleged multibillion-dollar bribery and fraud scheme. The news cut $US30 billion in market value from Adani Group companies and dragged India's benchmark equity indices lower. The dollar has been rising since the US election on anticipation that proposed tariffs of the Trump administration will likely be inflationary and keep rates higher for longer. The dollar index, which measures the US currency against six rivals, was at 106.62, not far from the one-year high of 107.07 it touched last week. The index has risen more than two per cent since the November 5 election. The prospect of the Federal Reserve slowing its rate cut cycle has also boosted the dollar. Markets were pricing in the Fed lowering borrowing costs by 25 basis points next month at 55.7 per cent, down from 72.2 per cent just a week ago, according to CME's FedWatch Tool. The common currency briefly breached that level on Friday and has moved sideways since. It was last at $US1.053175. The rise in the dollar has led the Japanese yen back into intervention territory, leading to verbal warnings from officials. On Thursday, the Japanese currency strengthened to 154.54 per dollar after falling as much as 155.86 in the previous session. Bitcoin has been on a tear since the election as the Trump administration is expected to relax regulations and be crypto friendly. The world's largest cryptocurrency, bitcoin, soared to touch a record of $US97,902 and was just a touch under at $US97,611. Oil prices rose on supply concerns triggered by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Brent crude futures firmed about one per cent to $US73.61, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 1.3 per cent at $US69.63. Gold prices were on the rise for a fourth straight session on safe asset demands. Spot gold rose 0.6 per cent at $US2,665 per ounce.