The Direxion Daily Semiconductors Bull 3x Shares (SOXL) ETF soared over 5% in pre-market trading on Friday, significantly outperforming the broader market. This surge came on the heels of a strong rally in semiconductor stocks during the overnight session, fueled by growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips and components.
Semiconductor giant Broadcom (AVGO) led the charge, soaring 13% after forecasting that its AI product sales are expected to surge 65% in the first quarter, significantly outpacing its overall semiconductor growth of around 10%. The company also predicted that the addressable market for AI components it designs for data center operators could reach as high as $90 billion by fiscal 2027.
The AI boom is driving a spending frenzy among hyperscalers and cloud providers, who are investing heavily in AI infrastructure and components to meet the rising demand for generative AI services. This has created a tailwind for semiconductor companies like Broadcom, which is positioning itself as a major beneficiary of this trend by securing new hyperscaler customers and expanding its AI chip offerings.
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