🚗 SanDisk's Spectacular Surge

Market Performance

• S&P 500: 6,944.82 ⬆️ 0.62%

• Nasdaq: 23,547.17 ⬆️ 0.65%

• Dow Jones: 49,462.08 ⬆️ 0.99%

Memory Makers Surge on AI's Storage Needs 

While everyone's been obsessing over AI chip giants like Nvidia, the real winners of 2026's first week are companies you probably haven't thought much about: memory and storage manufacturers.

Sandisk shares rocketed 28% on Tuesday alone—their best day since February—bringing their three-day gain to a jaw-dropping 47%.

At the CES tech conference on Monday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang dropped a bombshell: "For storage, that is a completely unserved market today. This market will likely be the largest storage market in the world, basically holding the working memory of the world's AIs."

Translation? As AI models become more intelligent and capable, they need a place to store massive amounts of data.

We're talking about training information, user interactions, and reasoning processes that need instant recall. Huang's comments suggest demand for storage components will "remain robust across Nvidia systems."

The numbers back this up. Sandisk has soared 1,080% since its April low. Western Digital, Micron, and Seagate all posted double-digit gains on Tuesday, continuing their momentum from 2025 when they were the S&P 500's top three performers with returns exceeding 200% each.

Bank of America analysts see these companies as "key beneficiaries" of AI's next phase—inferencing and edge computing—where data retention for training, analytics, and compliance will cause storage demand to "skyrocket in tandem."

Our Takeaway

The AI investment narrative is shifting. While training AI models drove the first wave of hardware spending, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of AI inference—and that means memory and storage companies could continue outperforming their chip-making counterparts.

Check out Ziggma’s Top 50 Stock List: Our top 5 companies by Ziggma Stock in the 10 fastest-growing sectors. >>>

3 Tricks Billionaires Use to Help Protect Wealth Through Shaky Markets

“If I hear bad news about the stock market one more time, I’m gonna be sick.”

We get it. Investors are rattled, costs keep rising, and the world keeps getting weirder.

So, who’s better at handling their money than the uber-rich?

Have 3 long-term investing tips UBS (Swiss bank) shared for shaky times:

1. Hold extra cash for expenses and buying cheap if markets fall.

2. Diversify outside stocks (Gold, real estate, etc.).

3. Hold a slice of wealth in alternatives that tend not to move with equities.

The catch? Most alternatives aren’t open to everyday investors

That’s why Masterworks exists: 70,000+ members invest in shares of something that’s appreciated more overall than the S&P 500 over 30 years without moving in lockstep with it.*

Contemporary and post war art by legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and more.

Sounds crazy, but it’s real. One way to help reclaim control this week:

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_{*Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd}

Market Overview 📈

The major indexes reached fresh records Tuesday as investors shrugged off geopolitical tensions and embraced the AI rally.

The S&P 500 and Dow both notched intraday and closing all-time highs, with tech and health care stocks leading the charge.

Amazon lifted markets with a 3% gain, while AI-related names provided broad support.

Micron Technology surged nearly 10%, and Palantir climbed over 3%, extending the semiconductor sector's impressive start to 2026. Health care and materials were the day's top-performing sectors, each rising nearly 2%.

Interestingly, investors moved past Monday's U.S. military action in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

Energy stocks actually pulled back after Monday's rally, with Chevron giving up most of its 5% gain as traders recognized Venezuela's minimal impact on global oil markets.

The resilience comes despite weaker-than-expected economic data. S&P Global's services PMI fell to 52.5 in December—an eight-month low—driven by declining new business and flat hiring.

Still, enthusiasm for AI continues driving markets higher, with strategists noting that tech's year-end pause appears over as the sector resumes its leadership role.

Stock Moves Deciphered 📈

🚀 Microchip Technology (MCHP)

Shares advanced 11.6% after the semiconductor company raised its fiscal third-quarter revenue guidance to approximately $1.185 billion, exceeding its prior forecast range of $1.109 billion to $1.149 billion.

The upward revision signals stronger-than-expected demand for the company's microcontroller and analog semiconductor products.

⚡️ Vistra (VST)

VST stock climbed 4% following the electricity generation company's announcement that it agreed to acquire Cogentrix Energy for roughly $4 billion.

The deal expands Vistra's footprint in power generation and comes as electricity demand surges from AI data centers and infrastructure buildout.

⬆️ OneStream (OS)

Shares surged 22% after Bloomberg News reported that private equity firm Hg is in advanced talks to acquire the financial software maker.

The potential deal highlights continued consolidation in enterprise software as companies seek comprehensive financial planning and analysis platforms.

Explore our stock screener to identify undervalued stocks trading at a discount right now >>>

Headlines You Can't Miss 👀

💊 Moderna shares jumped 10.8% as health care led the S&P 500 higher with a 1.6% gain—its best day since November 25.

🤖 Boston Dynamics unveiled its next-gen Atlas humanoid robot at CES 2026, partnering with Google DeepMind to integrate Gemini AI—production units targeting Hyundai's EV facility by 2028.

🥈 Silver headed for a record close above $80 for the first time, up 4.4% and extending its torrid run after surging 140% in 2025.

📉 Credit scoring stocks tumbled after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte criticized pricing on social media—TransUnion fell 4%, Equifax dropped 5%, and Fair Isaac slipped 4%.

🌡️ Cooling equipment makers slid after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang noted its Vera Rubin platform requires no water chillers for data centers—Trane fell 4%, Johnson Controls dropped 8%, and Modine plunged 10%.

💳 SoFi tumbled nearly 10% after Bank of America resumed coverage with an underperform rating, dragging down LendingClub, Upstart Holdings, and Chime Financial.

🏪 Retail stocks outperformed with the SPDR S&P Retail ETF posting its best daily gain since November—Camping World surged 11%, Warby Parker and Bath & Body Works each jumped 8%.

🎅 The Dow saw a Santa Claus rally, gaining 1.1% during the traditional period (final five December trading days and first two of January), while the S&P 500 lost 0.1%—potentially signaling caution ahead.

Trending Stocks 📊

🤖 Nvidia (NVDA)

NVDA stock dipped slightly despite CEO Jensen Huang's keynote at CES 2026, where he emphasized AI infrastructure growth and unveiled the energy-efficient Vera Rubin platform.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called current levels a "table-pounder opportunity," noting investors are underestimating 2026 demand.

🥤 Shake Shack (SHAK)

SHAK jumped 7.6% after Deutsche Bank upgraded the fast-casual burger chain to buy from hold, citing attractive valuation and growth potential.

The bank sees compelling catalysts in the first half of 2026, including potential World Cup benefits, despite lowering its price target to $105.

💸 American International Group (AIG) 

AIG fell 7.5% after announcing that CEO Peter Zaffino will step down by mid-2026 and transition to executive chair.

Eric Andersen, former Aon president, will take over as president and CEO-elect effective February 16, marking a significant leadership transition for the global insurer.

Explore the portfolio of top Wall Street investors here >>>

What’s Next?

Key market and macro news 👇

📊 The ADP employment report for December 2025 is scheduled for release. This report provides a snapshot of private-sector employment changes and can influence expectations for the more comprehensive government jobs report.

👩‍💼 The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) will release its Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for December. This data reflects the health of the services sector, a significant driver of the U.S. economy.

🧑‍✈️ The JOLTS report for November will be released, offering insights into labor demand and turnover. This data helps gauge the tightness of the labor market, which can have implications for wage inflation.

📚 The Bureau of Economic Analysis will release data on the U.S. trade balance for October 2025. This report can impact currency markets and companies with significant international exposure.

📱CES, one of the world's largest technology trade shows, will be in full swing. Announcements from major tech companies regarding artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, and other innovations can create significant stock market movements.

Ready to analyze your portfolio's exposure across sectors? Explore Ziggma's advanced portfolio optimization tools to position for the week ahead >>>.

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