Shares of technology companies slid as a historic artificial-intelligence rally slowed.

Shares of Apple slid amid concerns about the gadget and computer giant's growth in China, and reports that Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway could be offloading shares.

Service on Meta Platforms' Facebook, Facebook Messenger and Instagram was down for hundreds of thousands of users around the world. Meta shares slipped. Shares of Airship AI Holdings shares were up 83% to $3.02 after the company was awarded a large contract to an agency within the Department of Justice for its Acropolis Enterprise Sensor Management video and data management platform supporting emerging public safety and investigative requirements.

Dell Technologies shares tumbled as optimism about the computer-services giant's artificial-intelligence prospects faded.

The price of bitcoin fell sharply after a long run-up, weighing on shares of companies such as exchange operator Coinbase and software firm MicroStrategy, which has put much of its treasury cash in bitcoin. Both companies' shares are up sharply, alongside bitcoin prices, for the year to date.

Perplexity, an artificial-intelligence startup aiming to challenge Google's dominance in web search, is finalizing a new funding deal at around a $1 billion valuation, The Wall Street Journal reported.


Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-05-24 1742ET