From the war in Iran to inflation-revival concerns, the U.S. stock market had a turbulent yet solid first half of 2026, with all leading benchmark averages registering impressive gains.
However, not everyone shared in the market’s gains, as investors came for the chips and ditched software names, creating clear winners and losers in the stock market.
Artificial intelligence (AI) was the major driving force behind the rally, but there was one caveat: Traders dove into companies that benefit from AI without having to pay for it.
This contrasts with the last few years, when only a handful of companies—nicknamed the Magnificent Seven—propped up the markets….