U.S. Stock Market Midday Update
AXT Inc. rose 12.68%. Based on recent key news:
<ol>
<li>
On December 29, AXT Inc. announced a public offering of approximately $87 million at a price of $12.25 per share, leading to stock price fluctuations. The proceeds from the offering will be used to expand the production capacity of Beijing Tongmei Xtal Technology, focusing on exporting indium phosphide substrates, as well as for research and development and general corporate purposes. Source: Reuters
</li>
<li>
On December 29, AXT Inc. signed a 60-day lock-up agreement with executives and directors to support the offering and stabilize trading. This move aims to ensure the smooth progress of the offering and reduce market volatility. Source: SEC announcement
</li>
<li>
On December 30, AXT Inc.'s stock price fell 15.42% in pre-market trading to $13.01, reflecting the market's reaction to the offering pricing. Source: Benzinga Pro Semiconductor industry demand growth, export licenses approved
</li>
</ol>
Top Stocks by Trading Volume in the Industry
ASML rose 1.03%. Based on recent key news:
<ol>
<li>
On December 29, ASML's High-NA EUV technology made significant progress, expected to become a key technology for shrinking chips to below 2nm in the future, enhancing the company's market position. Analysts gave a buy rating with a target price of $1,233.80, with the stock price rising about 40%. Source: MarketBeat
</li>
<li>
On December 30, mainland China's wafer fabs are expected to increase capacity to 3.21 million wafers per month by 2026. Companies like SMIC have taken the lead in raising prices by about 10%, driving up prices in related product lines. Source: Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily
</li>
<li>
On December 29, analysts rated ASML as moderately buy, believing there are five other stocks with greater investment value. Source: MarketBeat The semiconductor industry faces both technological innovation and capacity bubbles.
</li>
</ol>
Lam Research fell 0.80%. Based on recent key news:
<ol>
<li>
On December 30, the Chinese government required chip manufacturers to ensure that at least 50% of new production capacity equipment is domestically produced, impacting the market share of foreign equipment suppliers like Lam Research. This policy aims to reduce reliance on foreign technology, putting pressure on Lam Research's stock price.
</li>
<li>
On December 29, analysts maintained a buy rating on Lam Research and raised the target price to $200, expecting the stock price to rise by 13%. Analysts are optimistic about the company's recovery in the memory equipment market, driving the stock price up.
</li>
<li>
On December 30, Lam Research's stock price performed strongly, with a monthly increase approaching 14%, mainly due to financial institutions raising target prices, optimistic about its equipment demand growth in AI and high-performance computing. Analysts estimate the company's annual revenue growth at 14%, indicating the company is on a solid growth track. The semiconductor industry shows strong demand, with significant policy impacts.
</li>
</ol>
Applied Materials fell 0.73%. Based on recent news,
<ol>
<li>
On December 29, Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon maintained a buy rating on Applied Materials and set a target price of $260. This move boosted market confidence in the stock but failed to prevent a decline in its price.
</li>
<li>
On December 30, JPMorgan analyst Harlan Sur expected Applied Materials to grow in sync with the wafer fabrication equipment market by 2026 and to make greater progress in advanced packaging and high-bandwidth memory. Despite the optimistic outlook, the stock price still experienced a decline.
</li>
<li>
On December 29, MarketBeat noted that although Applied Materials currently has a moderate buy rating among analysts, top analysts believe there are five stocks that are more worthy of investment. This could negatively impact investor sentiment. The industry as a whole is performing well, but individual stocks are showing significant volatility.
</li>
</ol>
Stocks ranked at the top of the industry by market capitalization
KLA fell 0.74%. Based on recent news,
<ol>
<li>
On December 30, despite Analog Devices having high free cash flow, an economic recession could negatively impact its automotive and industrial customers' spending on high-performance chips. BofA remains highly optimistic about these chip stocks and some of their smaller peers, believing that the market underestimates the significance of large tech companies in capital expenditures. This news raised concerns in the chip industry, affecting KLA's stock price.
</li>
<li>
On December 29, Bank of America raised KLA's target price from $1400 to $1450 and maintained a buy rating. Nevertheless, there remains uncertainty in the market regarding the overall semiconductor industry's outlook, leading to volatility in KLA's stock price.
</li>
<li>
On December 29, Analog Devices reported that if automotive and industrial customers reduce spending on high-performance chips, an economic recession could negatively impact them. Nevertheless, BofA holds an optimistic view on the long-term prospects of chip stocks, but short-term market sentiment is still affected. The semiconductor industry has shown recent volatility, requiring attention to macroeconomic dynamics
</li>
</ol>

AXTI

AXT Company rose 12.68%; ASML rose 1.03%, with a transaction volume of USD 569 million; Lam Research fell 0.80%, with a transaction volume of USD 442 million; Applied Materials fell 0.73%, with a transaction volume of USD 242 million; KLA fell 0.74%, with a market value of USD 164.4 billion

U.S. stock market midday update: AXT company's fundraising plan causes market fluctuations, stock price rises 12.68%