US chipmakers hit record highs as Intel surges past its best performance since 1987

The semiconductor industry reached a historic milestone as US chip stocks climbed to all-time highs. Leading the charge was Intel, which delivered its strongest single-day performance since 1987, signaling that the artificial intelligence (AI) boom is far from over, a report by CNBC has said. Intel’s shares skyrocketed 24% in a single day – a performance which is the best the company has seen in nearly 40 years.

The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index, the primary benchmark for the industry, jumped 3.2% to a record high. This marks an incredible 18-day winning streak for the index, which has now surged more than 47% in 2026 alone.