📝 Executive Summary
A massive sell-off erased over $1 trillion from semiconductor stocks as investors dump chip names ahead of critical earnings from industry bellwethers TSMC and ASML. The rout comes amid fears of slowing demand and potential trade restrictions, with market attention pivoting to TSMC’s July 16 report and ASML’s July 17 results for demand signals. The losses spanned the entire chip sector, including shares of design and equipment makers, reflecting a broad reassessment of valuations in the AI-fueled rally.