Tech earnings boom sends Nasdaq up 2.6%, AI trade reignites — August 5, 2026
S&P 500 +1.79% · Nasdaq +2.59% · Dow +1.71% · VIX 16.5 — August 5, 2026
The market's appetite for tech is back with a vengeance. The Nasdaq jumped 2.59% today while the S&P 500 and Dow both hit records, powered by earnings season blowouts in semiconductor and software names. Breadth was lopsided—79 of the top 100 most active stocks finished higher—and the VIX sits comfortably at 16.5. This is the narrative the headlines are running with: after a summer lull, Asia's rebound has rekindled U.S. confidence in artificial intelligence and bargain tech names that were beaten down just weeks ago.
Palantir was the day's poster child, exploding 29.5% on a "blowout Q2 report" that analysts say shows "no sign of competitive pressure." Marvell jumped 12.8% on an analyst refresh, Intel caught a 10.8% bid, and Super Micro climbed 10.6% as traders rotated back into AI infrastructure. Snap surged 14.9% in the tech-media rebound, while Applied Optoelectronics gained 19.4% after announcing a tech summit presentation. Even niche plays like AST SpaceMobile (satellite internet, +10.7%) and Genius Sports (+14.3% on dealmaking buzz) rode the risk-on wave higher. The outlier: Cipher Digital dropped 15.6% post-earnings, a reminder that not all tech names clear the bar.
What's notable is the absence of insider buying to validate these moves. None of today's big gainers show up on the insider cluster radar, which means corporate leadership isn't rushing to load up on their own stock at these levels. That's worth watching as the AI trade re-accelerates—sometimes the best tell of a genuine recovery is when the people running the show start buying. So far, silence.
Market commentary generated from the day's data and headlines — not investment advice.
Biggest moves today
- PLTR (Palantir Technologies Inc.) ▲ +29.45% at $162.66 on 172.0M shares — PLTR Stock Retreats Overnight: Analysts See ‘No Sign Of Competitive Pressure’ After Blowout Q2 Report (Stocktwits)
- AAOI (Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.) ▲ +19.44% at $131.63 on 20.3M shares — Applied Optoelectronics to Present at Rosenblatt's 6th Annual Technology Summit (GlobeNewswire)
- CIFR (Cipher Digital Inc.) ▼ -15.65% at $20.38 on 59.0M shares — Cipher Mining Q2 Earnings Call Highlights (MarketBeat)
- SNAP (Snap Inc.) ▲ +14.88% at $5.79 on 88.4M shares — Tech, Media & Telecom Roundup: Market Talk (The Wall Street Journal)
- GENI (Genius Sports Limited) ▲ +14.29% at $8.08 on 16.8M shares — The Dealmaking 3: Rockets & Pelicans’ AI Push, NFL Network Joins ESPN, SiriusXM $5 Sports Pass (CorpGov.com)
- MRVL (Marvell Technology, Inc.) ▲ +12.81% at $218.59 on 33.1M shares — Analyst Report: Marvell Technology, Inc. (Morningstar Research)
- WU (Western Union Company (The)) ▲ +11.60% at $7.31 on 33.6M shares — Stablecorp CEO went from 'ridiculed' to running half of Canada's stablecoin market (TheStreet)
- INTC (Intel Corporation) ▲ +10.84% at $100.86 on 117.1M shares — What Alphabet’s Stock Drop Tells Us About the Market Today (Motley Fool)
- ASTS (AST SpaceMobile, Inc.) ▲ +10.69% at $70.31 on 19.1M shares — Does AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) Trade At A Premium After Its Satellite Launch? (Simply Wall St.)
- SMCI (Super Micro Computer, Inc.) ▲ +10.65% at $31.69 on 52.4M shares — Nasdaq, S&P 500 Futures Rise As Amazon Reignites AI Trade, Apple Slides: Why TSLA, SPCX, RDDT, SMCI, BE, RKLB Are In Focus (Stocktwits)
Most active by volume
| # | Ticker | Price | Change | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PLTR | $162.66 | +29.45% | 172.0M |
| 2 | SPCX | $125.33 | +9.43% | 113.6M |
| 3 | GRAB | $3.72 | +1.36% | 102.1M |
| 4 | NVDA | $211.94 | +2.56% | 130.4M |
| 5 | NOK | $9.92 | +5.98% | 97.7M |
| 6 | INTC | $100.86 | +10.84% | 117.1M |
| 7 | SNAP | $5.79 | +14.88% | 88.4M |
| 8 | ONDS | $8.86 | +5.85% | 72.0M |
| 9 | AMZN | $277.42 | -2.32% | 69.5M |
| 10 | PATH | $14.10 | +8.05% | 58.0M |
| 11 | CIFR | $20.38 | -15.65% | 59.0M |
| 12 | SOFI | $18.70 | +3.72% | 59.8M |
| 13 | AAL | $16.56 | +3.24% | 61.1M |
| 14 | PFE | $25.41 | +1.52% | 61.3M |
| 15 | EA | $209.70 | -0.10% | 48.4M |
| 16 | CMG | $33.82 | -9.72% | 48.0M |
| 17 | SMCI | $31.69 | +10.65% | 52.4M |
| 18 | AAPL | $309.38 | +1.96% | 67.8M |
| 19 | F | $14.24 | -1.32% | 52.6M |
| 20 | NU | $14.33 | -0.76% | 46.3M |
| 21 | NVO | $44.28 | -5.97% | 45.7M |
| 22 | PLUG | $2.16 | +3.85% | 47.4M |
| 23 | OPEN | $4.12 | +4.57% | 53.8M |
| 24 | T | $23.38 | -0.89% | 55.1M |
| 25 | AMC | $2.68 | -5.96% | 40.4M |
Market data from Yahoo Finance; insider data from SEC EDGAR Form 4. For research only — not investment advice. Verify on the official source before trading.
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