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Nvidia ( NVDA ) falls after Chinese regulator launches antitrust

probe

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Hershey jumps after report that Mondelez ( MDLZ ) exploring

acquisition

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(Recasts with preliminary market close)

By Echo Wang

Dec 9 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes finished

lower on Monday, fueled by a decline in AI leader Nvidia ( NVDA ) that

weighed on tech stocks, as investors looked ahead to a crucial

inflation report set for later this week.

Nvidia ( NVDA ) fell after China's market regulator launched

an investigation into the chipmaker over suspected violation of

antimonopoly law, dragging down the information technology

sector.

Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) slipped after BofA Global

Research downgraded its rating on the stock, weighing on the

Philadelphia Semiconductor Index.

"The market was taken a bit by surprise regarding China's

investigating (Nvidia ( NVDA )) as a possible antimonopoly-law violation.

So that's one thing that's putting a little damper on the

market," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA

Research in New York.

According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 lost 35.69

points, or 0.60%, to end at 6,053.68 points, while the Nasdaq

Composite lost 123.08 points, or 0.62%, to 19,736.69.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 226.14 points, or

0.51%, to 44,416.38.

Comcast ( CMCSA ) declined after forecasting a loss of more

than 100,000 broadband subscribers in the fourth quarter,

denting the communication services sector.

Shares of Hershey soared following a report that

Cadbury parent Mondelez ( MDLZ ) was exploring an acquisition of

the chocolate maker. Mondelez ( MDLZ ) shares fell.

Investors are anticipating the consumer price index (CPI)

data set for release on Wednesday, along with the producer price

index (PPI) on Thursday, ahead of the Federal Reserve's meeting

on Dec. 17-18.

Bets of a 25-basis-point rate cut at the upcoming meeting

shot up to more than 85% after data on Friday showed a rise in

the unemployment rate to 4.2% in November, indicating an easing

labor market.

Several Fed officials, including Chair Jerome Powell,

emphasized caution regarding the central bank's approach to

easing monetary policy due to the economy's resilience.

Wall Street's main indexes started December on a positive

note, with the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy

Nasdaq both gaining in their first week, while the

blue-chip Dow ended the week slightly lower.

U.S. stocks soared in November after Donald Trump won the

presidential election and his party secured control of both

houses of Congress, raising expectations for a more

business-friendly policy agenda.