Amazon's shares moved unevenly on Tuesday as the stock attempted to rebound from a sharp downturn that has wiped out roughly $450 billion in market value.
If the stock closes lower at the end of the trading day, it would mark a 10th straight day of declines, matching the longest losing streak in the company's history, a run that was first set in 1997. Through nine consecutive trading days of losses, the company is enduring its worst stretch since 2006.
Investors have trimmed roughly 18% off the share price since February 2 as questions mount over Amazon's planned spending on artificial intelligence projects.
The sell-off began in the wake of Amazon's fourth-quarter earnings report released earlier this month. In that update the company disclosed it expects to spend $200 billion in capital expenditures this year - an increase of nearly 60% from the prior year - a figure that exceeds Wall Street's forecasts by more than $50 billion.
Company executives said most of this elevated spending will be funneled into AI-related initiatives. These initiatives require significant infrastructure outlays, including data centers, semiconductor chips and networking equipment.
Some investors are concerned that such large-scale technology investments by major firms could curtail or eliminate free cash flows. That worry has been a central factor in the recent selling pressure.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy addressed the planned expenditure during an analyst conference call, telling investors he is confident the investments will "yield strong returns on invested capital."
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Context and market implications: The rapid retreat in Amazon's equity value follows the company's projection of substantially higher capital expenditures centered on AI infrastructure. The market reaction has focused attention on the balance between heavy up-front technology spending and the maintenance of free cash flow for highly capital-intensive projects.