U.S. semiconductor shares fell sharply, triggering profit-taking across global technology stocks that had led the AI-driven rally. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index slid 7.9 percent, with Micron, SanDisk, AMD, Qualcomm and Nvidia all lower. Selling spread to South Korea and Europe, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix down about 12 percent and European chip and equipment names also falling. Some investors shifted into defensive stocks.

The S&P 500 rose as high as 7,539.8 in intraday trade, setting another record, with strength led by technology shares. The Nasdaq also hit a new intraday high, while the Dow fell 216 points. Chip stocks, especially memory-related names, surged, led by Micron. Nvidia also supported gains after a price-target increase. Middle East developments, oil prices and rate expectations remained key intraday variables.