Anthropic cuts the value of IT company stocks by $285 billion by launching a new business AI tool.

Brief news summary

Anthropic’s new AI tool, designed for automating business processes (contract review, legal briefings, etc.), caused a widespread drop in shares across several key sectors: software, financial services, and asset management. Bloomberg reports the collapse was about $285 billion.

How it affected U.S. markets
Index Drop Comment GS‑S&P Software & Technology Index (Goldman Sachs investment bank) –6 % The strongest one‑day decline since April, when tariffs triggered the fall. Financial Services almost –7 % Largest drop in the sector. Nasdaq 100 mid‑session –2.4 %, then a rebound to –1.6 %. Short‑term movement, but overall sentiment negative.

International effect
- Experian Plc (Ireland) – share price decline.
- Relx Plc (UK) – shares fell on legal software.
- London Stock Exchange Group Plc – also felt investment outflow.

Large IT companies
Company Drop Tata Consultancy Services (India)–6 % Infosys (India)–7.1 % Xero (cloud accounting software, Sydney)–16 % (strongest drop since 2013).

Impact on funds and other players
- Thomson Reuters Corp. and Legalzoom.com Inc. were among the weakest in the U.S. and Canada.
- iShares Expanded Tech‑Software Sector ETF fell –4.6 % — sixth day straight, and in January it dropped another 15 %, the worst monthly decline since 2008.
- Blue Owl Capital Corp. shares fell –13 % (record ninth consecutive drop), reaching the lowest level of 2023.

Expert comment
Steven Yiu, Chief Investment Officer of Blue Whale Growth Fund, noted:

> “This year will be decisive for whether companies become winners or victims of AI. The key skill will be to avoid ending up among the losers.”

Thus, Anthropic’s AI tool launch led to significant adjustments in global markets and forced investors to rethink their positions in key technology sectors.