Wall Street’s main indexes climbed on Thursday, supported by strong earnings from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) that reinforced investor optimism about artificial intelligence (AI) and extended a rally in chip stocks. TSMC, the world’s largest maker of advanced chips, raised its full-year revenue forecast, citing surging demand from AI spending. Despite initial gains of over 2% before the opening bell, U.S.-listed TSMC shares slipped 1.1% amid volatile trading.
The upbeat sentiment spread across major U.S. chipmakers. Nvidia rose 1.2%, Micron Technology advanced 2.7%, and Broadcom gained 1.3%, lifting the S&P 500 tech sector by 0.5%. Analysts said investor enthusiasm for AI continues to be fueled by strong spending from tech giants and hyperscalers, with investors now exploring adjacent opportunities beyond traditional chipmakers.
Recent positive momentum in AI-related stocks and expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts have supported markets in recent months. Strong earnings from major banks also highlighted economic resilience, even as official macroeconomic data remain delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown.
At 10:02 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 83.57 points, or 0.18%, to 46,336.88. The S&P 500 gained 19.62 points, or 0.29%, to 6,690.68, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 115.74 points, or 0.51%, to 22,785.82. The S&P 500 communication services sector advanced 0.7%, while financials declined 0.9%.
In geopolitical news, tensions flared as China accused the U.S. of inciting panic over rare earth export controls, rejecting Washington’s call to ease restrictions. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional 100% tariffs on Chinese goods but remains open to meeting President Xi Jinping later this month.
Elsewhere, Salesforce shares surged 7.1% after projecting 2030 revenue above $60 billion, while Hewlett Packard Enterprise fell 8.6% on weaker profit guidance. J.B. Hunt jumped 17.7% following stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings.