New York, January 29, 2026, 09:33 (EST) — Market open for regular trading hours.
- Micron shares jumped roughly 6% early Thursday, extending gains from the previous session.
- Samsung and SK Hynix warned of tightening DRAM supply as chipmakers shift capacity to AI-focused memory.
- Micron executives are set to speak at a Wolfe Research conference on Feb. 11, investors should note.
Micron Technology shares jumped roughly 6% to $435.28 in early U.S. trading Thursday, fueled by renewed chatter about tight supply in the memory chip sector.
This matters since Micron’s results can shift sharply with memory prices. In an AI-driven market, any hint of “memory shortage” usually acts like a bid—at least initially.
The industry’s latest move focuses on ramping up capacity for higher-margin chips designed for data centers. This shift squeezes production of the everyday memory found in PCs and smartphones, where supply shortages remain a risk.
Chip stocks were already on the rise Wednesday as demand stretched beyond Nvidia’s top processors. Louise Dudley, a global equities portfolio manager at Federated Hermes, noted, “Companies across the broader supply chain … are reporting that conditions are improving and that they are expanding their growth plans.” Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, highlighted stronger demand for chip-making equipment, adding that memory makers are “rushing to buy” tools as fabs ramp up production. (Reuters)
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix flagged supply issues for PC and mobile clients in Asia on Thursday, citing trouble securing DRAM — the standard memory chips in most devices. The bottleneck comes as chipmakers shift focus to high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a stacked DRAM variant essential for AI servers. “PC and mobile customers are having difficulties securing memory supplies,” said Park Joon Deok, SK Hynix’s head of DRAM marketing, during an analyst briefing. (Reuters)
Micron finds itself right in the thick of it. As the biggest U.S. producer of memory chips, it goes toe-to-toe with Samsung and SK Hynix in the DRAM market, and also pushes NAND flash chips for storage.
But the very squeeze pushing prices up can also weigh on demand. If PC and smartphone makers slash orders, adjust specs, or hold off on production due to pricey memory, shipments could falter and the “tight market” play might lose momentum.
Macro remains a key factor. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, providing little insight on when rates could be cut. This left markets jittery over any signs of shifting growth or inflation. “Whether you were bullish or bearish going into the press conference you walked away feeling about the same,” said Michael James, an equity sales trader at Rosenblatt Securities. (Reuters)
Traders watching Micron will focus closely on how AI-driven spending turns into actual orders across the hardware spectrum — covering not only GPUs but also the memory inside servers and the storage solutions surrounding them. Sentiment from big tech buyers and their suppliers can sway the stock just as much as Micron’s own news.
The next key date is Feb. 11, when Micron executives take the stage at the Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech and Semiconductor Conference in New York. Investors will be tuning in closely for updates on memory pricing, supply controls, and the immediate impact of AI-related demand. (Micron)
