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Shares of chipmakers surged at the start of 2026.
Shares of chipmakers saw a significant rise at the start of 2026, during trading on Friday, January 2, as investors flocked to the profitable, AI-powered sector following another successful year.
Shares of Dutch chip equipment manufacturer ASML jumped 9%, while Micron Technology shares rose 8% at the start of the new fiscal year.
Shares of Lam Research and Intel each climbed nearly 7%, while Marvell Technology shares gained 5%.
Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia shares saw gains of approximately 3% and 2%, respectively. In 2025, AMD shares surged 77%, while Nvidia shares rose 39%.
The chipmakers' stocks received a significant boost in 2025 thanks to the continued expansion of artificial intelligence. Cloud computing giants like Amazon and Google have spent vast sums to meet the growing demand for data centers.
Last year saw the sector post gains for the third consecutive year, despite growing concerns about AI valuation and the sustainability of the industry.
Investors have expressed worries in recent months about a potential AI bubble, even as the sector continues its meteoric rise. In November, Michael Bury, author of the popular book "Short Selling," revealed a short position in AI leaders Nvidia and Palantir.
The surge in chipmakers' stocks helped lift the VanEck Semiconductor ETF by 4%, adding to its nearly 49% gain in 2025.
The index has risen for three consecutive years and recorded its all-time best performance in 2023, when it gained over 72%.
