The first trading session of 2026 opened on a strong note, with major indices quickly diverging. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the gains, powered by a significant rally across the semiconductor and memory sectors.

As of the latest update:

NASDAQ(IXIC.US)  surged 1.34%

S&P 500 index(SPX.US)  advanced 0.62%

Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJI.US)  declined approximately 0.3%

Sector & Key Stock Highlights

Technology & Semiconductors Lead Charge:

ASML Holding NV ADR(ASML.US)  and Micron Technology, Inc.(MU.US)  both soared to new all-time highs, up nearly 9% and 8%, respectively.

Intel Corporation(INTC.US)  rose nearly 7%, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.(AMD.US)  gained over 5%, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sponsored ADR(TSM.US)  climbed nearly 4% to a new record high.

Broadcom Limited(AVGO.US)  and NVIDIA Corporation(NVDA.US)  both increased over 3%.

Memory Stocks Extend Rally:

Sandisk Corporation(SNDK.US)  skyrocketed over 11%, Western Digital Corporation(WDC.US)  rose nearly 6%, and Seagate Technology Holdings PLC(STX.US)  gained nearly 5%.

China ADRs Post Broad, Strong Gains:

Baidu, Inc. Sponsored ADR Class A(BIDU.US)  surged nearly 11% after announcing its AI chip subsidiary, Kunlunxin, had confidentially filed for an initial public offering in Hong Kong.

GDS Holdings Ltd. Sponsored ADR Class A(GDS.US)  rose over 10%, Netease Inc Sponsored ADR(NTES.US)  up over 7%, BILIBILI INC.(BILI.US)  up nearly 6%, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Sponsored ADR(BABA.US)  up over 4%, KE Holdings(BEKE.US)  up over 3%, with NIO(NIO.US)  and PINDUODUO INC.(PDD.US)  gaining nearly 3%.

Other Notable Sector Moves:

Rare Earth Stocks: Critical Metals Corp.(CRML.US)  jumped over 13%, USA Rare Earth, Inc. Class A(USAR.US)  up over 8%, Energy Fuels Inc.(UUUU.US)  up nearly 8%, $MP up over 5%.

Cryptocurrency-Related Stocks: BitMine Immersion Technologies(BMNR.US)  and IREN Limited(IREN.US)  rose over 6%, MARA Holdings(MARA.US)  up over 5%, Circle(CRCL.US)  up nearly 3%, Coinbase(COIN.US)  up nearly 2%, alongside gains in Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF(BTC.US)  and GRAYSCALE ETHEREUM MINI TRUST(ETH.US) .

Space Stock: Sidus Space, Inc. Class A(SIDU.US)  continued its remarkable run, rising over 17%. The stock has soared approximately 300% over the past month.

Biotech: Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Class A(IRWD.US)  skyrocketed over 68% after providing a 2026 revenue outlook that surpassed Wall Street expectations, driven by anticipated higher net sales of its co-marketed gastrointestinal drug, Linzess, with AbbVie, Inc.(ABBV.US) .

Notable Mover:

Tesla Motors, Inc.(TSLA.US) : Shares edged higher to $450.03. The electric vehicle maker reported Q4 2025 deliveries of 418,227 vehicles, a 16% year-over-year decline and below estimates of 440,907. For the full year, Tesla's deliveries totaled 1.64 million, behind BYD's approximate 2.26 million in battery-electric vehicle sales.

Market Context: The rally reflects a strong start to the new year, with investor optimism particularly concentrated in technology, semiconductors, and growth-oriented sectors. The robust performance of China ADRs and specialty sectors like rare earths indicates broad-based risk appetite.