# US stock index futures rise as chip stocks extend their rally into new territory > Source: > Published: 2026-06-18 12:10:53+00:00 # US stock index futures rise as chip stocks extend their rally into new territory Semiconductor heavyweights like Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom are pulling index futures higher as AI-fueled demand reshapes where capital flows. Chip stocks are doing the heavy lifting for Wall Street again. US stock index futures climbed as semiconductor names extended a rally that has made the sector the undisputed star of 2026’s first half. Dow futures rose by 0.2%, S&P 500 futures increased by 0.4%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.7%, with the moves tied directly to continued strength in chip equities. ## The chip rally by the numbers Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom have been the troika leading the charge. AMD has been particularly volatile, with shares gaining more than 6% in some sessions while dropping over 7% in others. AMD’s stock has climbed approximately 130% year-to-date as of June 2026. The iShares Semiconductor ETF, known by its ticker SOXX, surged more than 8% on rebound days in June. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index has posted year-to-date gains in the range of 60-80% through early June. The Dow reached record closing levels above 52,000 in the context of this chip-driven surge. ## Why AI demand keeps rewriting the playbook What’s driving the persistence of this rally is that AI spending hasn’t just continued, it’s accelerated. Every major cloud provider has expanded capital expenditure plans for AI infrastructure, and the companies making the chips that power those data centers are direct beneficiaries. Nvidia’s dominance in GPU computing, AMD’s gains in the data center CPU and accelerator markets, and Broadcom’s networking and custom chip business have all become essential infrastructure plays. ## What this means for investors, including crypto One notable casualty: Bitcoin has dropped to the 13th largest asset by market capitalization as semiconductor valuations surged. The mixed closures that preceded this futures move are worth noting. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq had experienced some sector rotation before this session, meaning money was sloshing around between sectors rather than uniformly pushing higher. **Disclosure:** This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our [Editorial Policy](https://cryptobriefing.com/editorial-policy/).