Defense Deals Can’t Stop Palantir PLTR Stock from Crashing, As Tech Stocks Tumble

Big tech stock are having a troubled day, with Palantir shared falling more than 8% decline as chip trade war intensifies.

Palantir shares testing the $90 level

Quick overview

  • Palantir shares fell over 8% amid a broader tech market decline, despite a recent boost from a NATO defense contract.
  • The stock initially rallied after the contract announcement but was later affected by negative sentiment in the semiconductor sector.
  • Market perception suggests Palantir may be undervalued, as its current share price is below the average analyst target.
  • Geopolitical risks and sector volatility continue to pose challenges for Palantir, even with its focus on AI-driven defense solutions.

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Big tech stock are having a troubled day, with Palantir shared falling more than 8% decline as chip trade war intensifies.

Palantir shares testing the $90 level
Palantir shares testing the $90 level

Defense Deal Can’t Shield Palantir from Broader Tech Meltdown

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) began the week on a strong note, lifted by a major new defense contract with NATO. The announcement that Palantir would deploy its Maven Smart System AI platform for NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) sparked a 5% rally in its stock on Monday, helping it close at $98.40. The move further underscored Palantir’s growing strategic relevance in the global defense and security tech landscape, reinforcing investor confidence in its long-term positioning.

Despite this momentum, however, broader market dynamics have quickly turned against the stock. As the week progressed, the Nasdaq 100 came under renewed pressure, dragged down by sharp losses across key technology and semiconductor stocks. That wave of selling eventually engulfed Palantir as well.

Tech Stocks Falter After Strong Rally, Weighing on PLTR

Earlier optimism in the tech sector—fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about pausing tariffs on consumer electronics—helped propel a weekend rally in futures and opened the week on an upbeat tone. Tech stocks had posted impressive gains the prior week, with many names including Palantir outperforming giants like Google and Meta. But those gains proved short-lived.

As trading resumed, sentiment quickly soured. ASML’s disappointing China order data triggered a selloff in the semiconductor space, leading the Nasdaq 100 to open over 1% lower. Nvidia was hit particularly hard, plunging more than 9% after disclosing a $5 billion impairment tied to its H20 AI chips, now restricted from export to China due to escalating trade controls.

PLTR Chart Daily – Testing the $90 LevelChart PLTR, D1, 2025.04.16 19:51 UTC, MetaQuotes Ltd., MetaTrader 5, Demo

The market-wide drop bled into defense-related tech as well. Palantir, despite its fresh NATO contract, began the day down 2.5% at $96.28 and continued falling throughout the session, eventually slipping below the $90 mark—a steep reversal from its earlier highs.

Undervalued or Justified? Market Perception vs. Analyst Outlook

Despite the stock’s notable price gains in recent periods, the current share price remains below the average analyst target. This discrepancy suggests that the market may still be undervaluing the company, potentially reflecting a cautious sentiment or lagging investor conviction. As a result, this valuation gap could influence future trading behavior, particularly if momentum investors begin to reassess the company’s long-term prospects.

Looking ahead, the company’s projected outperformance in both sales growth and profitability—especially when compared to broader market benchmarks—could elevate the significance of the strategic drivers outlined earlier. As innovation accelerates and expansion strategies are executed, these underlying fundamentals may become even more critical in shaping financial results and investor enthusiasm over the coming quarters.

Outlook Clouded by Sector Volatility and Geopolitical Risks

The selloff highlights the fragile backdrop for technology equities as geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory risk, and shifting demand trends collide. While Palantir’s focus on AI-driven defense solutions gives it a unique niche, its stock remains vulnerable to broader sector volatility.

Investors are now watching closely to see whether Palantir can stabilize above key support levels, or if the market’s risk-off tone will continue to pressure even fundamentally strong names. For now, even high-profile deals like the NATO agreement aren’t enough to shield individual stocks from the gravitational pull of a sector-wide downturn.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More
Skerdian Meta
Lead Analyst
Skerdian Meta Lead Analyst. Skerdian is a professional Forex trader and a market analyst. He has been actively engaged in market analysis for the past 11 years. Before becoming our head analyst, Skerdian served as a trader and market analyst in Saxo Bank's local branch, Aksioner. Skerdian specialized in experimenting with developing models and hands-on trading. Skerdian has a masters degree in finance and investment.

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