Major US indices tumbled yesterday (3 February), dragged down by losses within the tech sector after Facebook owner Meta Platforms posted disappointing earnings on Wednesday.  Given Meta’s hefty valuation, big swings in its stock price can lift or sink broader indices. The S&P 500 and tech-focused Nasdaq Composite broke their four-day rally, dropping 2.4% and 3.7% respectively yesterday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which does not include Meta, fell 1.5%. Despite Thursday’s decline, Wall Street’s major indices are still on track for weekly gains. Strong earnings from companies such as Apple and Alphabet have buoyed market sentiment after a volatile trading month in January.  Meta’s poor results Shares in Meta have plummeted 26.4% so far after the company reported its first decline in daily active users and blamed increased competition from rivals such as TikTok. The plunge has since wiped more than $230 billion of its valuation. The company...