Tesla and Micron made tech and semiconductor stocks go up. This helped the Nasdaq reach a new all-time high for the fifth time in a row. But the fact that the bigger indexes do better than others shows that some industries are superior than others.
On September 12, 2025, the Nasdaq went up about 0.4% and set another record close. The S&P 500 fell by roughly 0.1% while the Dow fell by about 0.6%.
Tesla’s stock went up by 7.4% because many were anticipating that interest rates will go down.
Micron also did well because analysts boosted their price forecasts and the market for memory chips was rising, especially for AI and data centre applications.
What this signifies is:
Even when the markets are really risky, tech and semiconductors are still the best places to put your money. If interest rates go down, these sectors might do even better.
Broader indexes may not do as well until the economy becomes clearer, especially those that are more exposed to businesses that are susceptible to cycles or interest rates.
If investors have too much money in tech or memory stocks that are risky, they may need to protect themselves.
Things to Keep in Mind:
How well big companies like Tesla do in the future when they announce new products or earnings.
Signals of supply and demand for semiconductors and memory chips (like Nvidia and Micron).
If the rate cuts are real and how quickly they are priced in.
How defensive sectors do compared to growth and tech stocks.