Let's talk about this week's stock market:
The best performing were: $DELL $SNOW $ONDS $NTAP $OKTA $SMCI $BRKR $ARXS $TEAM $NXT $CLF $MU $AKZA $BBY $RR. $F $APP $AVAV $ZETA $IONQ $HPE $SAIL $LUNR $NOW $RDDT $DLTR $RBRK
Chipmakers: Memory & Hardware Scaling
Almost 50% of those top performers belong to the chipmakers industry or are positively affected by it, as massive hardware infrastructure expansion remains the market's core narrative.
The AI Momentum:
The semiconductor and tech hardware rally was supercharged by Dell Technologies' ($DELL) blowout quarterly earnings, which provided a massive sentiment boost to the entire sector. Dell posted actual EPS of $4.86, crushing Wall Street estimates of $2.93, driven by a skyrocketing demand for AI computing and AI-optimized servers.
We are seeing a fundamental shift in how the market views AI hardware. While early AI applications relied heavily on standard CPUs, the rise of Agentic AI—autonomous systems that "think" and execute multi-step tasks—requires far more sophisticated GPUs and vast amounts of High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM).
This shift has created a massive tailwind for Micron Technology ($MU) and Super Micro Computer ($SMCI), as well as Dell (+57.00%) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise ($HPE, +24.21%), which provide the advanced, high-density server configurations needed for these complex AI agents to function.
Legacy Chipmakers: Why the Surge?
Legacy players and industrial chip suppliers like NXP Semiconductors and Analog Devices are rising because the market believes we have officially cleared the inventory gluts and hit the cyclical bottom.
The Memory & Flash Surprise:
Memory giants and hardware component makers reported exceptionally strong numbers not just because of broad enterprise demand, but because AI models require immense data transfer and data storage solutions. This boosted stocks like NetApp ($NTAP, +40.99%), which reported an earnings beat of $2.43 EPS against $2.19 expected, fueled by a 14% year-over-year surge in product and all-flash array revenue.
Broad Recovery:
Investors are aggressively moving back into these infrastructure stocks as the data center build-out expands beyond processors, positioning storage and data architecture giants to capture the next leg of the hardware cycle.
Enterprise Software: The SaaS Comeback
High-growth software stocks are joining the party as enterprise buyers pivot their software stack directly toward AI deployment and fears of traditional SaaS obsolescence dissipate.
Atlassian ($TEAM) [+28.84%]:
Atlassian surged higher as its strong fiscal metrics and raised guidance directly challenged fears that AI tools would displace its product ecosystem. The company reported a massive Q3 revenue increase of 32% year-over-year to $1.8 billion. Investors are recognizing that as corporations create more automated workflows and code via Agentic AI, platforms like Jira and Confluence become more critical than ever to track and manage team progress.
ServiceNow ($NOW) [+21.72%]:
ServiceNow spearheaded a massive enterprise software relief rally, logging its strongest monthly gains on record. The stock surged following the broader tech rotation sparked by Dell, coupled with investor enthusiasm for its Now Assist AI product suite—which is tracking ahead of schedule toward $1.5 billion in annualized contract value. Recognized as a "mission-critical" AI control tower layer for organizations deploying autonomous AI agents, ServiceNow erased months of AI disruption fears as large-deal adoption accelerated.
Zeta Global ($ZETA) [+25.77%]:
Zeta extended its sharp rally following a stellar "beat and raise" earnings quarter and positive guidance pointing to full-year profitability. The core catalyst driving current momentum is its expanding relationship with OpenAI to integrate advanced conversational and agentic applications behind its Athena AI marketing agent.
Rubrik ($RBRK) [+20.97%]:
Shares surged over 20% this week as a massive wave of bullish positioning and institutional buying entered the stock ahead of its June 4 earnings release. The enterprise data security and cyber-resilience platform recently pulled an upgrade to "Outperform" from analysts, reversing months of cautious sentiment as AI-driven data security becomes a top priority for corporate IT budgets.
Reddit ($RDDT) [+21.19%]:
Reddit rebounded sharply by over 21% to close out the week. The stock easily shook off intense competitive fears stemming from Meta's recent launch of its rival "Forum" app. Investors are refocusing entirely on Reddit's long-term growth narrative: an absolute blowout Q1 earnings report (EPS of $1.01 vs. $0.62 expected) and high-margin recurring revenue coming from its data licensing agreements with major AI model developers.
Connectivity & Infrastructure:
Ondas Holdings ($ONDS) and Identity Verification platforms are proving essential for high-speed data transfer and governance within modern enterprises. Their gains reflect the secure "pipes, plumbing, and safety protocols" needed to make AI models work safely at scale.
Okta Inc. ($OKTA) [+36.80%]:
As security requirements for Agentic AI skyrocket, Okta’s identity verification solutions have become a high-conviction play. The stock surged after reporting an 11% year-over-year revenue increase to $765 million and a strong 16% growth in Remaining Performance Obligations ($4.72 billion), as securing automated AI agents becomes a top corporate priority.
Snowflake ($SNOW) [+52.35%]:
This is a play on the Data Cloud. Since AI data centers and enterprises require immense amounts of structured, governed data to train and run models, data storage and analytics platforms are seeing "tech-like" parabolic growth, further validated by Snowflake’s record Q1 product revenue beat of $1.33 billion.
Data Centers: Next-Gen Quantum Infrastructure
The computational strain on classical data centers is driving capital into alternative, high-performance computing paradigms.
IonQ ($IONQ) [+24.26%]:
IonQ is gaining momentum as data centers search for solutions to handle the intense computational workloads of modern AI algorithms. The stock climbed on the back of rapidly growing demand, backed by a massive quarterly revenue leap to $64.7 million for Q1 2026, compared to just $7.6 million in the same quarter last year. IonQ also announced a brand new laboratory and testing facility in Boulder, Colorado, highlighting their rapid scaling to integrate quantum computing directly into enterprise data center infrastructure.
Space: Infrastructure Beyond Earth
The expansion of technological infrastructure is no longer limited to terrestrial networks, as defense and communication contract awards push aerospace innovation forward.
Intuitive Machines ($LUNR) [+23.81%]:
Intuitive Machines is benefiting from a wave of commercial and civil space tailwinds. The stock jumped significantly following a series of strategic expansions, including an agreement to acquire Goonhilly Earth Station to boost ground-space communications, and securing the prime contract to manage NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC). Furthermore, with competitors facing mission delays, NASA is increasingly leaning on LUNR as its proven lunar partner.
Aerospace, Defense & Automotive
Secular trends in automation, defense spending, and consumer cycles are driving capital into these specific transport and defense hardware plays.
AeroVironment ($AVAV) [+26.24%]:
As a market leader in unmanned aircraft systems and loitering munitions, AVAV continues to see heightened capital inflows. Geopolitical tailwinds, including the stabilization efforts around regional conflicts and a steady stream of structural defense tech contracts, have pushed the stock into a rapid price expansion phase.
Arxis Inc. ($ARXS) [+29.29%]:
Following its successful IPO in April, Arxis operates as a mission-critical provider of proprietary electronic and mechanical engineered components. The stock popped over 29% after blowing past its first Q1 earnings report, recording a 21% YoY revenue jump and initiating full-year 2026 guidance showing that 90% of the year's revenue is already booked or in backlog across the defense, aerospace, and industrial technology sectors.
Ford Motor Company ($F) [+26.47%] & Rolls-Royce ($RR. ) [+27.23%]:
Both legacy transport giants are catching a bid on cyclical recovery and industrial execution. Ford is capitalizing on stabilized supply chains and stronger fleet demand, while Rolls-Royce continues to benefit from a structural multi-year turnaround in global widebody aviation maintenance cycles and defense aerospace revenue.
Energy Services: Rebuilding & Resilience
This sector has stabilized as macro pressures ease, transforming from a pure geopolitical headline play into a long-term grid infrastructure play.
The "Ceasefire" Stabilization:
The energy services sector experienced a steadying effect last week as international focus shifted toward structural energy independence. Reports that the United States and Iran are actively working towards an agreement to extend their current ceasefire arrangement helped ease short-term pressure on global energy markets, shifting investor focus to secular domestic trends.
Cleveland-Cliffs ($CLF) [+28.30%]:
Cleveland-Cliffs acted as a structural pillar last week. As global supply chain volatility highlights the necessity of localized manufacturing, the US is seeing a massive uptick in domestic infrastructure projects and automotive steel demand. Cleveland-Cliffs directly benefits from this push for total industrial independence, anchoring the hardware and manufacturing boom.
Nextracker ($NXT) [+28.43%]:
Operating under its parent branding Nextpower, the solar tracker giant is an emerging favorite for AI data center infrastructure. The stock surged after reporting a record fiscal year backlog exceeding $5.25 billion and announcing a massive $365 million acquisition of Prevalon Energy, pushing Nextracker directly into the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and AI data center power markets.
I think datacenter stocks like $IONQ and $NBIS look really nice. For $NBIS, you can get in at Monday open if nothing dramatic happens over the weekend.
Otherwise I really like $ARM , $SMTC , $ALAB , $MTSI , $MU and $SNDK
I will keep you updated if I make a play.
Let's talk about this week's stock market:
The best performing stocks were: $SIMO $PS $MXL $TEAM $CNC $AAOI $TWLO $AUR $AXTI $SNDK $STX $QCOM $RSI $SANM $INTC $NXPI $BE $GNRC $VIAV $KVYO $PWR $TTMI $CLF
Because of earnings, we had a lot of very violent moves this week. Hence, I don't like the structure of most of this week's best performers. I like to bet on nicely trending stocks and breakout trades.
But let's dive in to this week's best stock performers:
Chipmakers: The Storage & Connectivity Explosion
Almost 80% of this week's top performers are tied to the semiconductor ecosystem, but the focus has shifted from pure processing power to Memory, Storage, and Optical Interconnects.
The AI Momentum:
The rally was sustained by a massive earnings beat from Silicon Motion ($SIMO, +59.60%) and Seagate ($STX, +22.65%). As Agentic AI and enterprise AI models scale, the demand for high-speed storage (eMMC, UFS, and SSDs) has skyrocketed. Applied Optoelectronics ($AAOI, +29.21%) hit all-time highs after securing a massive $71M order for 800G transceivers—the "optical pipes" required for high-speed AI data transfer.
Legacy & Mobile Chipmakers:
The Automotive Proof Qualcomm ($QCOM, +21.56%) and NXP Semiconductors ($NXPI, +20.83%) surged after Qualcomm reported record automotive revenues ($1.3B, up 38% YoY). This proves that the AI theme is moving beyond the data center and into the "edge," particularly in Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving systems, which boosted Aurora Innovation ($AUR, +25.10%). Intel ($INTC, +21.19%) continued its strong run as the market prices in a cyclical bottom for PC and industrial chips.
Enterprise Software:
The SaaS Comeback
For the first time in months, high-growth software stocks are joining the AI party.
Atlassian ($TEAM, +29.51%) and Twilio ($TWLO, +28.43%) both delivered "double beat" earnings reports. Investors are finally seeing concrete AI monetization as customers integrate these companies' AI-powered platforms into their workflows.
Sentiment was further bolstered by U.S.-Iran ceasefire optimism, which reduced the macro "risk-off" pressure on high-multiple software stocks.
Connectivity & Infrastructure:
Viavi Solutions ($VIAV, +16.68%) and Sanmina ($SANM, +21.34%) are benefiting from the rollout of 800G and 1.6T infrastructure. As companies like Marvell and NVIDIA release faster chips, the testing and manufacturing infrastructure provided by these firms is seeing a surge in high-margin orders.
Energy & Power: The "Hard Tech" Backbone
The "Power Bottleneck" theme remains dominant as AI data centers demand unprecedented amounts of electricity.
Bloom Energy ($BE, +20.77%) and Generac ($GNRC, +17.53%) saw gains as backup power and fuel cell technology become essential for data center reliability.
Cleveland-Cliffs ($CLF, +16.00%) and Quanta Services ($PWR, +16.33%) reflect the "re-shoring" of American industry, driven by the need for domestic steel and a modernized power grid to support the AI revolution.
Definitely something I also recognized lately.
Momentum stocks are just ripping lately and are pretty overextended. No one knows how much further they can go. But in order to protect your capital, have tight stops on them. You don't want to hold them if they retrace.
https://t.co/M3f3lE37fb
No new developments besides seeing a steady uptick in names down 25% over the last month.
5 day ratio stays negative for the 3rd day in a row.
A pullback tomorrow and the 10day ratio would likely flip red as well.
I still continue to believe you should let your old winners work, and keep new positions on a VERY TIGHT leash.