US Market: Financial stocks slide as AI disruption, bond curve weigh on banks

US financial stocks came under pressure on Tuesday as investors assessed the potential impact of artificial intelligence on traditional financial businesses, uncertainty surrounding AI-related initial public offerings and signals from the bond market that could point to softer economic conditions.

The S&P 500 Financial index ended 2% lower, with money managers among the biggest decliners. Charles Schwab fell 6.1%, while Ameriprise Financial dropped 4.4% and Raymond James lost more than 3%. The S&P 500 bank index also declined 3%.

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According to Reuters, investors have increasingly focused on the potential for AI tools to disrupt businesses such as wealth management. Meta Platforms' AI agent Muse recently surpassed ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app for iPhones, adding to concerns about competition for financial services firms.

Investors were also monitoring movements in the US Treasury market. The spread between two-year and 10-year Treasury yields narrowed to its lowest level since March 2025 earlier on Tuesday, reaching as little as 17.90 basis points before recovering to around 21 basis points.

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The curve has flattened steadily as traders have increased expectations for Federal Reserve rate hikes. The spread stood at 55.5 basis points on August 18.

A flatter yield curve can put pressure on banks' profitability by reducing the difference between the rates at which they lend and borrow.

Concerns over the IPO market also weighed on sentiment, particularly after reports of delays involving companies linked to infrastructure supporting the AI boom.

SB Energy, a unit of Japan's SoftBank Group, recently filed paperwork for a US IPO. However, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters, the data-centre developer has postponed the launch of its investor roadshow after initially planning to market the offering this month. SB Energy declined to comment.

Nuclear services company Holtec also suspended its planned US IPO last week, adding to uncertainty around new listings tied to the AI and data-centre investment cycle.

Despite the near-term pressure, investors continue to see longer-term support for the banking sector from the broader economic backdrop. Market participants pointed to solid employment and economic fundamentals as factors supporting the outlook for financial stocks, even as AI disruption, interest-rate expectations and IPO uncertainty create short-term volatility.

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