Micron, SanDisk stocks rise as investors boost AI spending confidence

The memory chip trade is back on. Micron Technology and SanDisk shares climbed 7-9% in recent July 2026 trading sessions, recovering ground after a bruising correction that had left both stocks well below their 2026 peaks. The catalyst: renewed investor confidence that AI infrastructure spending isn’t slowing down anytime soon, backed by a round of analyst upgrades and Micron’s eye-catching commitment to dramatically expand its US manufacturing footprint. A year of extremes To understand why a 7-9% bounce matters, consider where these stocks have been in 2026. SanDisk, which only began trading independently on Nasdaq in February 2025 after completing its spin-off from Western Digital, has gained more than 570% year-to-date as of late July 2026. Micron’s run was less stratospheric but still substantial, with triple-digit percentage returns earlier in the year before volatility set in. Both stocks then hit turbulence, with Micron pulling back roughly 25% from its 2026 highs and SanDisk facing steeper declines from its peak. Mixed results from peers like South Korea’s SK Hynix added to the anxiety. SK Hynix’s performance matters here because the global memory market is effectively a t...