Tech Stocks Rise on Friday Afternoon
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 13 2026
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Market Recovery: Tech stocks broadly rose on Friday afternoon, reflecting a gradual restoration of investor confidence in the technology sector, which could drive stock prices of related companies higher.
- Strong ETF Performance: The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XPREMIUM) showed robust performance during trading, indicating positive sentiment towards the tech sector that may attract more capital inflows.
- Improved Investor Sentiment: With the rise in tech stocks, investor sentiment has improved, potentially leading more investors to reassess their portfolios and increase allocations to technology stocks.
- Optimistic Industry Outlook: The recovery in the tech sector may signal future economic recovery, especially against the backdrop of accelerated digital transformation, where demand for technology investments from businesses is expected to continue growing.
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Analyst Views on AMAT
Wall Street analysts forecast AMAT stock price to fall
22 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 427.360
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
Current: 427.360
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
About AMAT
Applied Materials, Inc. is a materials engineering solution company. The Company provides equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It operates through two segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services (AGS). The Semiconductor Systems segment includes semiconductor capital equipment to enable materials engineering steps including etch, rapid thermal processing, deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, metrology and inspection, wafer packaging, and ion implantation. The AGS segment provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity, including services, spares and factory automation software for semiconductor and other products. Its products include personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Decline in Consumer Confidence: The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index was revised down to 44.8, a record low, below the expected 48.2, indicating growing consumer concerns about the economic outlook, which may negatively impact future spending.
- Rising Inflation Expectations: The 1-year inflation expectations for May were revised up to 4.8%, a 9-month high, exceeding the expected 4.6%, which could prompt the Fed to consider interest rate hikes at the upcoming meeting, affecting market liquidity.
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See More
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- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 rose by 0.37% and the Nasdaq 100 by 0.42%, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting an all-time high, reflecting optimism about a potential US-Iran peace deal that could boost investor confidence.
- Consumer Sentiment Decline: The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index was revised down to a record low of 44.8, below the expected 48.2, indicating growing concerns among consumers about the economic outlook, which may impact future spending.
- Rising Inflation Expectations: The 1-year inflation expectations for May were revised upward to 4.8%, exceeding the expected 4.6%, potentially prompting the Federal Reserve to consider interest rate hikes in upcoming meetings, which could pressure the stock market.
- Tech Stocks Lead Gains: Workday's stock surged over 5% after reporting Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.66, surpassing expectations, highlighting strong performance in the software sector and potentially attracting more investor interest in tech stocks.
See More
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- Strong Market Performance: The S&P 500 rose by 0.50% and the Nasdaq 100 by 0.73%, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting an all-time high, reflecting optimism about a potential US-Iran peace deal that could boost investor confidence.
- Decline in Consumer Confidence: The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index was revised down to 44.8, a record low, below the expected 48.2, indicating growing consumer concerns about the economic outlook, which may negatively impact future spending.
- Rising Inflation Expectations: The 1-year inflation expectations for May were revised up to 4.8%, a 9-month high, exceeding the expected 4.6%, which could prompt the Fed to consider interest rate hikes at the upcoming meeting, affecting market liquidity.
- Chip Stocks Lead Gains: Qualcomm's stock surged over 12%, leading the Nasdaq 100, demonstrating ongoing market enthusiasm for semiconductor and AI infrastructure, which may yield higher returns for related companies.
See More
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- Strong Market Performance: The S&P 500 rose by 0.54%, the Nasdaq 100 increased by 0.53%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached an all-time high, reflecting market optimism regarding a potential peace deal between the US and Iran, which could boost investor confidence.
- Software Stocks Lead Gains: Workday's stock surged over 8% after reporting Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.66, exceeding the consensus of $2.51, and forecasting Q2 subscription revenue of $2.46 billion, further enhancing confidence in the software sector.
- Oil Price Volatility Affects Markets: Crude oil prices dipped slightly as Qatar coordinated with the US to send a negotiating team to Tehran, raising concerns about future supply; the IEA warned that global oil inventories will remain tight, potentially impacting overall economic growth.
- International Markets Rebound: The Euro Stoxx 50 climbed 1.23%, China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.87%, and Japan's Nikkei increased by 2.68%, indicating a global market optimism that may provide support for the US market.
See More
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- Semiconductor Hub Launch: Broadcom, Meta, Applied Materials, GlobalFoundries, and Synopsys have joined forces to establish a $125 million 'Semiconductor Hub' at UCLA's Samueli School of Engineering, aimed at accelerating research across chip design, manufacturing, and software, thereby fostering innovation in the semiconductor ecosystem.
- Research and Internship Opportunities: The hub will provide yearlong internships for engineering doctoral students with the partner companies, helping them shorten the timeline for new chip innovations to reach the rapidly changing market and enhancing their career development pathways.
- Industry-Academic Collaboration: UCLA Samueli Dean Ah-Hyung Park emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between industry and academia as semiconductor complexity increases and AI development accelerates, with expectations that this collaboration will expedite technology breakthroughs to market.
- Addressing Market Challenges: Amidst AI's disruption of the job market, Meta plans to cut 8,000 jobs, approximately 10% of its workforce, and this partnership aims to provide students with better career opportunities, helping them navigate an uncertain job landscape.
See More
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- Partnership Formation: Broadcom, Meta, Applied Materials, GlobalFoundries, and Synopsys have joined forces to establish a $125 million Semiconductor Hub aimed at accelerating research and workforce development for AI chip technologies, fostering innovations across chip design, equipment, software, and manufacturing.
- Research Commitment: Located at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, the hub will operate under a five-year commitment, enabling faculty and student researchers to collaborate with founding companies to shorten the timeline for new chip innovations to meet rapidly changing market demands.
- Internship Opportunities: The funding will also provide yearlong internships for engineering doctoral students with the partner companies, helping students gain practical experience in the industry and paving the way for better career paths.
- Industry-Academic Synergy: As semiconductor complexity increases and AI development accelerates, Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between industry and academia to bring technology breakthroughs to market faster while inspiring the next generation of engineering talent.
See More
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- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 Index rose by 1.08%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 1.31%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index climbed by 1.66%, reflecting renewed investor confidence in economic recovery, particularly amid a significant drop in oil prices.
- Oil Price Plunge: Crude oil prices fell by over 5% due to hopes for an end to the Iran conflict, which not only lowered inflation expectations but also caused the 10-year Treasury yield to drop by 10 basis points to 4.57%, providing support for the bond market.
- Semiconductor Stocks Rally: Nvidia rose more than 1% ahead of its earnings report, with Q1 sales expected to increase by 80%, drawing market attention to its production ramp-up and competitive strategies, positively impacting the overall tech sector.
- Mortgage Applications Decline: U.S. MBA mortgage applications fell by 2.3% for the week ending May 1, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down 4.1%, indicating pressure on the housing market from high interest rates, as the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.56%.
See More
