Nvidia, as the second-largest company on Wall Street, wields considerable influence over the U.S. stock market. It contributed over a fifth of the S&P 500 index's total return last year, underscoring its impact on investments. Critics caution that Nvidia's stock price surge might have been too rapid, potentially impacting Americans' 401k and other investment accounts. Nvidia's forthcoming fourth-quarter earnings report comes after challenges posed by DeepSeek's announcement of a competitive large language model, temporarily leading to a staggering $595 billion drop in Nvidia's market value.