JPMorgan says the sharp volatility in chip stocks has forced some investors to reduce their positions, which could trigger market "panic" as a result.

The strategist team led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou stated that while chip stocks rebounded to historic highs this week, volatility also increased, which could trigger a so-called VaR shock for investment portfolios. This refers to significant market fluctuations causing investors to breach their Value-at-Risk constraints, forcing them to reduce positions even if they remain bullish on related trades. Panigirtzoglou wrote in a report: "The increase in VaR-sensitive investors raises the market’s sensitivity to self-reinforcing, volatility-driven selloffs." (Bloomberg)