Hightower's Link Warns of Caution in Tech AI Trade Amid Oracle Woes and Sector Declines

This analysis stems from a CNBC “Closing Bell” segment [1] aired on Dec 17, 2025, where experts discussed anxious markets and turbulent tech sector trading. Stephanie Link of Hightower Advisors specifically warned about exercising caution in the tech sector’s AI trade. Concurrent market data [0] showed the tech sector declined 2.27% on the same day, with major AI-focused stocks underperforming: NVIDIA (NVDA) fell 2.93%, Alphabet (GOOGL) dropped 3.67%, Oracle (ORCL) declined 2.65%, and Microsoft (MSFT) slipped 0.16%. A key contributing factor to market anxiety is a reported risk to Oracle’s $10B data center project for OpenAI [0], which raised concerns about unsustainable AI-related spending and debt levels—issues likely referenced in Link’s warning.

1. Link’s cautionary note is closely tied to emerging risks in AI infrastructure investments, as exemplified by Oracle’s potential project setback.
2. Major AI stocks underperformed the broader tech sector, indicating concentrated market pressure on AI-related names.
3. The confluence of sector decline, individual company issues (Oracle), and expert warnings signals growing investor skepticism toward the AI trade’s sustainability.

• Risks
  : Elevated volatility in the tech and AI sectors [0], concerns over overvaluation of AI stocks, potential for more AI infrastructure investment setbacks, and broader sector corrections driven by AI spending and debt anxieties.
• Opportunities
  : Selective investment opportunities may emerge for fundamentally strong AI players following market corrections, but investors should exercise heightened due diligence [0].

On Dec 17, 2025, CNBC’s “Closing Bell” featured Hightower Advisors’ Stephanie Link warning of caution in the tech sector’s AI trade. The tech sector declined 2.27% that day, with major AI stocks (NVDA, GOOGL, ORCL, MSFT) underperforming. Oracle’s $10B data center project for OpenAI faced reported risks, amplifying concerns about AI-related spending and debt. Market anxiety was further reflected in the sector-wide decline and underperformance of AI-focused stocks.