If I had to choose between holding the leader and rotating into weaker names, I would generally prefer holding the leader.

A 2.4% decline in NVIDIA versus much larger drops in AMD, Marvell, Intel, and leveraged semiconductor ETFs suggests relative strength. When risk appetite fades, capital often concentrates in the highest-quality companies with the strongest balance sheets, margins, and competitive positions.

The more important question is time horizon:

If you're a short-term trader, this kind of sector rotation and volatility argues for tighter risk management and potentially reducing exposure.

If you're a long-term investor, a 10-20% swing in semiconductor stocks is not unusual. The key thesis is whether AI infrastructure spending remains intact.

What would concern me more than a single down day is evidence that hyperscalers are materially cutting AI capex. Absent that, this looks more like a positioning reset than a fundamental collapse.

For me, the choice would not be "sell NVIDIA and buy Intel." It would be:

1. Hold core NVIDIA exposure if the long-term thesis remains intact.

2. Avoid excessive leverage such as 3x semiconductor ETFs during volatile rotations.

3. Keep cash available for opportunities if the correction deepens.

Leaders can fall during rotations, but they are often the first stocks institutions return to when sentiment stabilises.