Global stocks plunge amid AI slowdown fears after Democrats’ midterm triumph

European stock markets have experienced significant declines following a sell-off in US tech stocks, triggered by concerns over a slowdown in the AI sector after the Democrats' midterm election victory. The FTSE 100 index fell 1.5%, with AstraZeneca leading losses at 2.8%. Other major indices in Germany, France, and Spain also reported declines. The Nasdaq index had its worst day in 19 months, dropping 5.5%, with chip stocks like SanDisk and Western Digital suffering substantial losses. Despite these downturns, many global indices remain up for the year, including the Nasdaq, which is still 4.6% higher since January.