Although the Nasdaq 100 managed to bounce back by the end of trading on November 14, 2025, the technology-heavy index gave investors a brief scare when it dipped below a key technical level during the day.
Tech stocks rattled investors Thursday as the Nasdaq 100 briefly broke below critical support before staging a late-day recovery.
The index fell to 22,798.31 at its lowest point, slipping beneath its 50-day moving average of 22,809.83. Think of the 50-day moving average like a trendline that shows whether stocks are generally moving up or down over recent weeks. When an index drops below this line, it often signals that trouble might be brewing.
Fortunately for tech investors, the Nasdaq 100 didn’t stay down for long. By market close, it had climbed back to 25,008.24, safely above its 50-day moving average of 24,895.66. This recovery showed that buyers stepped in to support the market when it looked shaky.
However, the brief dip revealed some concerning underlying weakness. Only 42.15% of Nasdaq 100 stocks were trading above their own 50-day moving averages, down from 43.13% the previous day. This breadth indicator has been sliding downward for weeks, falling from a peak of 70.29% on October 27.
When fewer than half of the stocks in an index are performing well, it suggests the overall market strength might be more fragile than it appears.
The bigger picture shows mixed signals. While the index sits above its 50-day moving average, it remains below its 200-day moving average of 25,200. This longer-term measure acts like a resistance ceiling that the index has struggled to break through since early October.
Interestingly, 52.94% of Nasdaq 100 stocks still trade above their 200-day averages, indicating some underlying strength remains. Technical indicators show a 48% Sell rating with resistance levels at 50.64, suggesting additional caution may be warranted. Major tech stocks like Nvidia fell below their 50-day moving averages, with the chip giant dropping to $184.42 compared to its average of $184.48.
This creates a somewhat confusing situation where short-term weakness meets longer-term stability.
The Nasdaq 100 has returned an average of 4.33% year-to-date in 2025, reflecting a consolidation phase rather than the dramatic gains seen in previous years.
While Thursday’s dip below the 50-day moving average wasn’t catastrophic, it serves as a reminder that even strong markets can show cracks when you look closely enough.
