Odaily reported that since the beginning of the year, AI hardware-related sectors in the US stock market, including semiconductors and optical communications, have posted gains. The upward move has extended into the upstream part of the industrial chain, with the semiconductor equipment sector rising in tandem.
Nine Major Equipment Firms Are Up More Than 75%
According to the report, all nine US-listed semiconductor equipment companies with total market values above $10 billion have seen their share prices rise by more than 75% so far this year. Within that group, seven stocks have doubled year to date: Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA, Teradyne, MKS Inc, Entegris, and Onto Innovation Inc.
The data shows that the AI investment boom has not been limited to semiconductor and optical communications hardware names. It has also been reflected in upstream semiconductor equipment companies, where the seven stocks that have doubled this year stand out as representative gainers within the sector.