Paris, February 8, 2026, 02:51 (CET) — The market is shut.
- STMicroelectronics wrapped up Friday’s session in Paris at 24.89 euros, gaining 1.16%.
- After a selloff tied to AI, chip and tech stocks bounced back late in the week, sending the stock higher.
- U.S. jobs and inflation numbers land next week—watch for a possible shakeup in rate-cut expectations and another round of volatility for semiconductors.
Shares of STMicroelectronics (STMPA.PA) finished Friday at 24.89 euros in Paris, ticking up 1.16% for the session. Over five days, the stock notched a gain of roughly 4.4%, according to MarketScreener data. 1
European stocks found their footing following a volatile stretch, the STOXX 600 climbing 0.9% Friday. Tech shares bounced, picking up 1.2%, though the sector just notched its sharpest weekly loss in nearly three months. Sophie Huynh, strategist at BNP Paribas Asset Management, described a “dislocation between software and hardware” tied to artificial intelligence. 2
Chip stocks roared back in the United States, driving the Dow past 50,000 for the first time. Nvidia surged 7.8%, while the Philadelphia semiconductor index tacked on 5.7%. “This trade has been volatile,” said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird, pointing to investor reactions around big tech’s mounting AI infrastructure spending. 3
Macro is up next. Investors are bracing for Wednesday’s delayed U.S. nonfarm payrolls numbers and January CPI on Friday—both could sway bets on when the Fed finally cuts rates, a major factor for growth and chip names. “Rotation is the dominant theme this year,” said Angelo Kourkafas, strategist at Edward Jones. 4
STMicro shares remain weighed down as investors digest earnings and tally up the price of the company’s factory changes. The chipmaker on Jan. 29 put its Q1 revenue outlook at about $3.04 billion. CEO Jean-Marc Chery told the market, “We are entering 2026 with better visibility than entering 2025.” CFO Lorenzo Grandi flagged that restructuring effects will stick around this year, noting, “The fourth quarter definitely is on the high side.” 5
Investors are jittery over any hints that AI-driven demand might be spilling across the chip sector. On Friday, the Semiconductor Industry Association projected global chip sales could climb to $1 trillion by 2026, following an expected $791.7 billion next year. “At least for the next year, we’re on a pretty, pretty strong glide path,” said SIA CEO John Neuffer. 6
STMicro isn’t in the GPU business like Nvidia. Instead, microcontrollers, sensors, and power chips—especially those used in cars and industrial gear—drive its results. For investors watching chips tied to the “real economy,” it’s a more useful barometer. But when the market’s chasing the AI story tick by tick, STMicro stands apart, not quite fitting the narrative.
Here’s the risk: should jobs data and inflation surprise to the upside next week, traders may quickly dial back bets on rate cuts. Chip shares, including those that just bounced Friday, could just as fast lose ground. STMicro’s restructuring bill is a wild card, too—if margins don’t pick up as hoped, that’s another headache thrown in.
As markets kick off Monday, traders are eyeing European tech to see if it echoes Wall Street’s sharp rally late last week. Eyes also turn to the U.S. payrolls numbers due Wednesday (Feb. 11), and Friday’s CPI (Feb. 13), both set to test the mood for semiconductor stocks.
