The semiconductor sector surged on renewed confidence in the durability of the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom. This optimism was fueled by a blowout quarterly report from private AI firm Anthropic, which investors are using as a key indicator for sustained compute demand. Positive analyst actions, including an upgrade for Micron Technology (MU) and a reaffirmed overweight rating for NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), further bolstered sentiment. Geopolitical developments, such as the U.S. discouraging Apple from using Chinese memory chips, also provided a tailwind for specific manufacturers.