Semiconductor Stocks Rally at Midday (Dec. 18, 2025): Micron Ignites the AI-Memory Trade as CPI Cools and Chip ETFs Jump
Micron shares jumped nearly 12% midday Thursday after the company forecast second-quarter profit almost double Wall Street estimates, citing strong AI-driven memory demand. The rally lifted the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index about 2.8%, with Nvidia, AMD, and TSMC also higher. Investors responded to both Micron’s outlook and softer U.S. inflation data. Some analysts flagged data-quality concerns linked to the recent government shutdown.