Nasdaq rises 0.51% to close at 24,780 points as Arm and Micron lead the way

Arm and Micron Lead the Way as Semiconductors Rebound

Arm Holdings led the session with a jump of 4.61% to $127.31, confirming investors' interest in AI-focused chip architectures. Micron Technology closely followed, rising 4.50% to $461.69, benefiting from renewed interest in memory manufacturers. Sector equipment providers also excelled: Lam Research climbed 3.22% to $226.47, while KLA Corporation advanced 3.00% to $1,481.35. Booking Holdings completed the top three with a 3.48% increase to $4,442.33, buoyed by favorable conditions for online booking platforms. Axon Enterprise rose 3.46% to $506.57, continuing its momentum in security equipment. In the energy sector, Baker Hughes grew by 3.28% to $57 and Diamondback Energy by 2.68% to $187.22, taking advantage of a rebound in oil prices. Airbnb rose 2.83% to $131.95, while Charter Communications gained 2.24% to $222.52.

Trade Desk plummets heavily, Intel under pressure

Conversely, Trade Desk experienced the largest drop in the index, decreasing by 7.42% to $25.07, as investors took profits following several sessions of gains. Intel fell by 3.72% to $44.06, weighed down by ongoing concerns about its ability to catch up technologically with competitors. Atlassian lost 1.65% to $74.91, while Fortinet declined by 1.57% to $83.16 in a lackluster cybersecurity sector. Amgen dropped 1.40% to $361.13, and Honeywell slipped 1.32% to $231.42. GlobalFoundries slid by 1.19% to $43.25, and O'Reilly Automotive decreased by 1.18% to $89.39. Broadcom fell by 1.11% to $321.31, and Netflix concluded with a decline of 0.88% to $94.36.

A mixed session reflecting a selective market

The session on March 17 highlights the current selectiveness of investors, who are favoring stocks exposed to trending themes like artificial intelligence and semiconductors, while being more cautious with other segments. The Nasdaq Composite is up 0.51% at 24,780.42 points, in volumes indicative of midweek moderate activity. Without a major catalyst, traders focused on sector rotations, anticipating upcoming macroeconomic events and forthcoming earnings reports. Technology remains at the center of the movements, but the varied performances serve as a reminder that the market remains volatile and attentive to valuation signals.