U.S. stocks diverged in midday trading on July 22. At the time of writing, the Dow edged up 0.12% to 52,286 points; the Nasdaq shed over 100 points, or 0.50%; and the S&P 500 was modestly lower. Weakness in semiconductor stocks dragged on the broader market, though Super Micro Computer surged against the trend on robust order expectations. Oil prices climbed roughly 3%, fueled by escalating tensions in the Middle East.

On the sector front, semiconductors broadly weakened, with Nvidia, AMD, and other chip stocks moving lower. Tech heavyweights Microsoft and Amazon also declined in tandem. In contrast, Super Micro Computer stood out with a surge of over 24%, while the energy sector strengthened on the back of rising oil prices. Market attention was squarely focused on earnings reports from Google and Tesla, both due after the close.

Chip stocks broadly weaken; tech megacaps slide

At the time of writing, Microsoft (MSFT) fell more than 1%, Amazon (AMZN) moved lower alongside it, and Apple (AAPL) slipped modestly. Among chip names, both Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD posted declines.

On the research front, a latest Bank of America report projected the server CPU market to reach $170 billion by 2030, with Nvidia introducing its Vera CPU architecture to challenge AMD, as the two compete on agentic AI workloads. BofA maintained a "Buy" rating on Nvidia with a $350 price target. Separately, Bernstein analysts assigned Microsoft a $646 price target, implying 62% upside from current levels, citing Azure revenue growth as a key catalyst.

Super Micro Computer skyrockets over 24% on strong order outlook

As of writing, Super Micro Computer (SMCI) surged 24.51%, leading the entire market. The company issued a strong order outlook, reflecting continued robust demand for AI servers.

Middle East tensions escalate; oil jumps ~3%

Crude oil prices moved sharply higher, with Brent crude rising approximately 3%. On the geopolitical front, Trump warned that if Iran attacks ships in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. forces would destroy its bridges or power plants on its territory. U.S. Central Command stated that Iran has attacked over 30 commercial vessels in the past three months, with heightened Middle East geopolitical risks driving oil prices upward. Gold prices also extended gains, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar and technical buying.

Elsewhere, Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) edged up to $348.35, while Tesla (TSLA) saw modest fluctuations. Both companies are set to report earnings after the close. Analysts expect Google to post Q2 earnings of $2.88 per share on revenue of $113.63 billion, and Tesla to report Q2 earnings of $0.53 per share on revenue of $26.4 billion. Polymarket predicts a 96% probability that Google will beat expectations, with investors closely watching cloud growth and capex guidance.