ASM International Shares Surge 9.83% at Opening, Driven by Semiconductor Sector Momentum
ASM International sees a significant uptick this Thursday morning, outperforming the general downturn of the CAC 40. This rise is part of a positive trend for the Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, boosted by substantial sector results.
Sharp Increase in Opening Price
The share price soared to €670.20 at the opening, marking a gain of nearly 9.83% compared to the previous close of €610.20. This sharp rise contrasts with the weakness of the Paris index, which is down 0.24% this morning. On a broader scale, ASM shows solid performance, with a gain of 6.31% over the past week and an increase of 24.39% over the past three months, significantly outperforming the CAC 40's annual rise of 11.96%. However, trading remains limited, with only 0.19% of the capital engaged, indicating focused interest from certain operators rather than widespread enthusiasm. This limited volume comes in a context where the Taiwanese giant TSMC just posted record results on Thursday morning for the fourth quarter, driven by demand for artificial intelligence, boosting confidence across the equipment supplier ecosystem.
Technical Outlook Remains Strong
Technically, the stock shows a dynamic configuration. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 72, placing ASM in an overbought zone, where a correction could be considered after such a pronounced upward movement. More encouragingly, the MACD indicates positive momentum, with its main line at 31.09 above the signal line at 24.83, confirming the persistence of the upward trend. The stock is now well above its two main moving averages: it is €140.54 above its 50-day average (€529.66) and €173 above its 200-day average (€497.24), reflecting a solidly established long-term trend.
Graphical Breakthrough and Analyst Upgrades
Graphically, ASM has broken through its short-term resistance at €630.40, opening up new room for progression up to €652.56, which is delineated by the upper Bollinger band. The stock maintains a comfortable distance from its major supports, the main one being set at €469.30. The monthly volatility displayed at 14.95% remains moderate relative to the gain recorded this morning, while the very low beta of the stock (0.11) explains its decoupling from the general market. Several analysts have raised their price targets on Thursday, with Morgan Stanley naming it a new Top Pick and setting its target at €625 before the stock, while UBS has raised its target to €685.
