A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell in New York City on November 4, 2026.

Timothy A. Clary | Afp | Getty Images

Stocks suffered a major sell-off on Thursday as investors' fears about a slowdown in the buildout of artificial intelligence rocked not only the trade itself but also the broader market.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite receded more than 5% and finished in correction territory alongside the small-cap Russell 2000 index. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated more than 1,800 points, or more than 3%, and the broad market S&P 500 pulled back more than 4%.

Those moves gave back the big gains seen in Wednesday's postelection rally and then some.

Here are the most breathtaking statistics from the day's rout:

The Nasdaq Composite posted its worst performance in a single day since April 4, 2025, when it fell 5.82%

The S&P 500 notched its worst single-day performance since April 4, 2025, when it declined 5.97%

The Dow Jones Industrial…