New York, January 11, 2026, 12:57 EST — Market closed
- Meta’s renewed focus on long-term nuclear power thrusts electricity supply back into the spotlight in the AI data-center race
- Friday’s top movers included Vistra and Oklo, following Meta’s announcement of multi-decade agreements
- Traders are eyeing the U.S. CPI release on Jan. 13 and early earnings reports, with TSMC among the key names, as the next market catalysts
Data center-related stocks open Monday with attention on power supply following Meta’s fresh nuclear energy agreements to support its AI expansion. Vistra jumped roughly 10.5% on Friday, Oklo climbed about 7.9%, and Meta edged up around 1.1%.
Here’s why it’s crucial today: the market now sees electricity as a hard limit, not just an afterthought, for the upcoming surge in AI data centers. This shift has dragged utilities and nuclear developers into the mix, alongside the chipmakers and server firms that have traditionally led this trade.
Spending buzzed again Friday. OpenAI and SoftBank each pledged $500 million to SB Energy, backing data center and power upgrades tied to their Stargate project, which includes a 1.2-gigawatt site already on the books in Milam County, Texas. In another move, Mississippi’s governor announced that Elon Musk’s xAI will pour over $20 billion into building a data center in Southaven, aiming to kick off operations by February 2026. 1
Meta announced it has inked 20-year power purchase agreements for electricity from three Vistra nuclear plants and will collaborate with Oklo and TerraPower on small modular reactors (SMRs). The company aims to secure up to 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2035. Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, called the move a step toward becoming “one of the most significant corporate purchasers of nuclear energy” in U.S. history. Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte added that Meta’s backing will aid “early procurement and development.” 2
AP, referencing the same three deals, reports Meta is funneling the contracts toward its Prometheus AI data center in New Albany, Ohio — a 1-gigawatt facility Meta expects to activate this year. Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems expert at Princeton University, cautioned that powering the project without adding new energy sources could drive electricity prices higher across the mid-Atlantic grid. 3
Friday’s surge in data-center stocks came amid a broader risk-on rally. The S&P 500 notched a record close, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, a key chip-sector barometer, also hit fresh highs, buoyed by Broadcom and other chipmakers. Zachary Hill, head of portfolio management at Horizon Investments, noted that investors are now getting “granular” in sorting winners and losers within the AI trade. 4
“Picks and shovels” stocks stayed in focus as the power theme dominated. Vertiv climbed roughly 1.8% on Friday. Data-center landlords Equinix and Digital Realty also advanced, up about 2.4% and 3.7%, respectively. Nvidia saw little movement.
There’s a catch. SMRs remain years off and come with permitting hurdles, cost concerns, and execution risks. Even the large, established nuclear plants—locked into long-term contracts—still supply power to regional grids that are stretched thin.
Another key moment arrives fast: U.S. December CPI drops at 8:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, Jan. 13. This data often jolts bond yields and high-growth tech stocks. JPMorgan plans to report earnings around 7:00 a.m. ET the same day, followed by its call at 8:30 a.m. ET. Then, Taiwan Semiconductor’s Q4 earnings call is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 15, at 1:00 p.m. ET. 5
Monday’s open will test if data center stocks tied to power can maintain their Friday gains after the weekend’s news quiets down. CPI numbers and early earnings reports will then determine if investors stay confident in the “power plus chips” trade or begin pulling back before the next round of capex concerns hits.
