Stock Market Today, July 21: Micron Surges 12% as Semiconductor Strength Lifts Nasdaq

Major stock indices gained on July 21, 2026, with the Nasdaq rising 1.29%, S&P 500 up 0.89%, and Dow Jones adding 0.74%. Semiconductor stocks led the rally, with Micron surging 12% and SanDisk soaring 14%. AMD gained 8% following its AI deal with Microsoft, while General Motors and AeroVironment also posted gains. The rally occurred despite geopolitical tensions and tariff concerns, with strong AI demand from South Korea supporting chip stocks.

07/21/2026, 5:03 PM • The Motley Fool

Memory Stocks Spark a Market Rebound; Dow Jones Joins the Party

All three major stock indexes climbed together on Tuesday, driven by a semiconductor rally led by memory chip stocks. Micron surged 10.1% after Morgan Stanley predicted memory prices could rise 25% due to AI demand, while SK Hynix jumped 10.9%. The semiconductor ETF gained 5.2%, with broad-based chipmaker gains despite geopolitical tensions and trade tariff announcements. Industrial stocks like 3M and Caterpillar also contributed to the Dow's advance.

07/21/2026, 12:05 PM • The Motley Fool

Meet the Super Semiconductor ETF Obliterating Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom This Year

The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) has doubled since its spring 2026 launch, outperforming major AI chip makers by focusing on high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which has become the critical bottleneck in AI supply chains. The ETF holds ~20 memory companies with 75% concentrated in Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, benefiting from tight HBM supply and strong pricing power. However, the fund carries significant risks including extreme concentration, high volatility, geopolitical exposure, and the cyclical nature of memory markets.

07/20/2026, 9:20 AM • The Motley Fool

Nvidia Stock Is Struggling in 2026, and This Magnificent Seven Stock Can Make Things Worse for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Giant. Should Investors Hit the Sell Button?

Meta Platforms is accelerating in-house AI chip development starting September, which could reduce its reliance on Nvidia GPUs. However, despite competition from custom chips, Nvidia's AI inference market share increased to 74% in Q1, and hyperscalers continue to rely on its cutting-edge processors. Analysts remain bullish on Nvidia's earnings growth, with potential 70% upside if it trades at S&P 500 average multiples.

07/20/2026, 8:30 AM • The Motley Fool

Advanced Micro Devices vs. Navitas Semiconductor: Here's What The Quarterly Revenue Trends of These Artificial Intelligence Companies Reveal to Investors

AMD has demonstrated strong and steady revenue growth of 77% over eight quarters, reaching $10.3 billion in Q1 2026, while Navitas Semiconductor has experienced a 58% revenue decline to $8.6 million in the same period. Although Navitas intentionally exited its China mobile and consumer businesses to focus on AI, the company faces headwinds from a Wolfspeed patent lawsuit and shareholder dilution concerns from a $500 million equity offering.

07/19/2026, 6:18 PM • The Motley Fool

TSMC vs. ASML: Which Is the Better AI Semiconductor Ecosystem Stock to Buy?

The article compares TSMC and ASML as investment opportunities in the AI semiconductor ecosystem. TSMC has a virtual monopoly on advanced logic chip manufacturing and is benefiting from strong AI demand with 34% Q2 revenue growth and 67.6% gross margins. ASML holds a monopoly on EUV lithography machines essential for chip production but shows slower growth (21% Q2 revenue) and lower margins (54%). The author recommends TSMC as the better buy, trading at a forward P/E of 19x versus ASML's 30.5x, citing superior growth prospects and undervaluation.

07/19/2026, 9:20 AM • The Motley Fool

AMD Stock Is a Fraction of Nvidia's Size but Trades on the Same AI Story. Here's Where the Two Actually Diverge.

While both Nvidia and AMD have benefited from AI accelerator demand, their business strategies diverge significantly. Nvidia has concentrated 92% of revenue in data center AI chips, achieving 85% revenue growth and trading at 31x earnings. AMD maintains a more diversified portfolio across CPUs, GPUs, and embedded chips, with 56% from data center and 35% from client/gaming segments, posting 38% revenue growth but trading at a higher 161x P/E ratio. Nvidia's first-mover advantage and lower valuation make it the more attractive buy despite AMD's solid diversification strategy.

07/19/2026, 4:10 AM • The Motley Fool

Intel Stock Soared About 278% in the First Half of 2026, Then Fell 10% in a Single Day. Buy the Dip or Run for the Hills?

Intel's stock surged 278% in H1 2026 under CEO Lip-Bu Tan due to successful 18A process adoption and foundry business wins from Tesla and Apple. However, a 10% single-day drop in July suggests the stock price has outpaced fundamentals. With forward P/E ratios of 127-89 and modest 7% revenue growth, analysts recommend holding rather than buying, as the valuation appears years ahead of anticipated earnings growth.

07/19/2026, 4:02 AM • The Motley Fool

Can Nvidia Become a $10 Trillion Stock by 2030?

Nvidia, currently valued at $5 trillion, could potentially double to $10 trillion by 2030 based on accelerating revenue growth (85-96% YoY) and dominant 80-90% market share in AI chips. However, the stock trades at a premium 20x price-to-sales ratio that would likely compress as growth inevitably slows, making the $10 trillion valuation dependent on maintaining 40-50% CAGR and a lower valuation multiple.

07/19/2026, 3:25 AM • The Motley Fool

Prediction: SOXX Is About to Outperform SMH. Here's Why.

The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) is positioned to outperform the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) due to superior portfolio construction. While both are market-cap-weighted semiconductor ETFs with similar holdings, SOXX applies stricter weighting caps (8% for top 5 holdings, 4% for others) compared to SMH's 20% limit. This makes SMH dangerously concentrated with a 30% combined allocation to Nvidia and TSMC, creating significant concentration risk. SOXX's more diversified approach is expected to provide better risk-adjusted returns over the next 6-12 months.

07/18/2026, 3:16 PM • The Motley Fool

Has Nvidia Become a Value Stock?

Nvidia has emerged as a dominant force in the AI revolution with record revenues and profits, yet trades at a surprisingly low valuation compared to peers. With a forward P/E ratio of 23—between typical growth (29) and value (17) stocks—Nvidia appeals to both growth and value investors. The company's strong competitive position, established track record, and early-stage AI market opportunity make it an attractive long-term holding, though cautious investors should note risks from high AI spending levels and sector volatility.

07/18/2026, 4:10 AM • The Motley Fool

Stock Market Today, July 17: Stocks Slide as Semiconductor Rout Deepens

Major stock indices declined on July 17, 2026, as a semiconductor sell-off deepened amid geopolitical tensions and concerns about AI spending sustainability. The Nasdaq fell 1.40%, S&P 500 dropped 1.01%, and Dow Jones slipped 0.77%. Travelers Companies surged 9% on strong earnings, while chip stocks including Nvidia, AMD, and Intel tumbled. The PHLX Semiconductor Index has fallen over 13% in the past month despite being up 63% year-to-date.

07/17/2026, 5:13 PM • The Motley Fool

Dell Technologies vs. NVIDIA: Which Artificial Intelligence Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Dell Technologies and NVIDIA represent different plays on the AI boom. Dell has surged over 200% in 2026 with strong server sales driven by AI adoption, while NVIDIA remains the dominant chip leader with superior financials and a 55.6% net margin. Though Dell appears cheaper on valuation metrics, NVIDIA is recommended as the better long-term investment due to its market leadership, CUDA software dominance, and stronger balance sheet.

07/17/2026, 5:04 PM • The Motley Fool

This Wall Street Firm Just Placed a $725 Price Target on AMD Stock. Here's Why It's Wrong.

KeyBanc set a $725 price target on AMD, implying a 40% gain, but analyst Keithen Drury argues this is overly optimistic. AMD trades at a premium valuation despite lagging Nvidia in AI accelerators and lacking the profit margins to justify current prices. Even under highly optimistic scenarios, AMD would trade at 36x forward earnings, making Nvidia the better investment.

07/17/2026, 1:23 PM • The Motley Fool

Wall Street Expects This IPO Stock to Jump 47% Over the Next 12 Months

Cerebras Systems, which completed the year's biggest IPO by May with $5.5 billion raised, is expected by Wall Street to gain 47% over the next 12 months. The company designs giant AI chips that claim to surpass Nvidia's GPUs in speed, with 58 times larger size and 2,000 times more memory bandwidth. While revenue grew 92% to $193 million in the latest quarter, the stock carries risks including reliance on a small customer base and lack of profitability. The article recommends it for aggressive investors but cautions conservative investors to stick with established players like Nvidia.

07/17/2026, 5:05 AM • The Motley Fool