New York, Jan 18, 2026, 09:34 ET — Market closed.
- Broadcom shares climbed 2.5% on Friday, beating several other chip stocks.
- Jefferies analyst maintained Broadcom as a leading pick for 2026, highlighting ongoing strength in the chip cycle
- Traders are eyeing Tuesday’s reopen with earnings season kicking off, Intel set to lead the pack later this week
Broadcom Inc. shares jumped 2.5% Friday, ending at $351.71. The AI-linked chipmaker remains in the spotlight as the U.S. heads into a shortened trading week.
With markets set to reopen Tuesday after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, this move takes on added weight as investors navigate the start of earnings season amid ongoing volatility in big tech. Chipmakers climbed broadly Friday, though the main indexes ended the day mostly flat.
Jefferies analyst Blayne Curtis named Broadcom his top chip-stock pick for 2026, maintaining a $500 price target, Barron’s reported. The upbeat mood around AI infrastructure demand is driving renewed interest in the sector. The report also highlighted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing’s recent earnings and spending plans as a positive catalyst for chip suppliers.
Broadcom stood out with a 2.53% gain in an otherwise mixed day for chip stocks on Friday. Qualcomm and Analog Devices closed in the red, according to MarketWatch data.
Broadcom jumped $8.75 on Friday, swinging between $344.27 and $354.30 during the session, LSEG data shows.
Broadcom now stands as a key indicator of investor demand for AI-related hardware, covering everything from networking silicon and custom chips to its VMware software division, closely linked to data-center investment.
Broadcom has previously flagged that certain segments of its AI operations could weigh on profits due to product mix issues, underscoring that strong AI growth doesn’t automatically boost margins.
Sentiment could hinge more on Broadcom’s rivals than on the company directly. Intel plans to release its earnings after the close on Thursday, Jan. 22. Traders often view this as a key indicator for enterprise and data-center demand.
Netflix plans to release its results on Tuesday, Jan. 20, marking a key moment for the wider earnings season—even though it’s not a semiconductor company.
Johnson & Johnson steps up Wednesday, Jan. 21, delivering another major earnings report as investors weigh if the rally is broadening beyond just a few megacaps.
Broadcom heads into Tuesday on solid footing, with the stock fresh off a strong finish. Chip momentum has reemerged as a key theme, while a packed schedule of earnings over the next few days could sharply shift risk sentiment.
