Seasonal strength in the technology industry coincides with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The event kicks off on January 6 through January 9. This might mean the S&P 500 (SPY) ETF, Technology Select (XLK), peaks.
People might scoff at the “consumer” aspect of the show. Demand for PCs and laptops will likely collapse in 2026 if memory prices continue to rise. Last year, DDR5 chip prices rose by up to 500%. This typically added at least $300 for consumers building PCs late last year. Dell Technologies (DELL), Lenovo (LNVGY), and HP Inc. (HPQ) might delay hiking prices but only temporarily.
Micron Technology (MU) stock jumped by 10% on January 2. MU stock is up by 31.7% in the last month. The memory chip maker announced that it would shut down its Crucial brand. Instead, it will sell more chips to the AI server markets. This leaves Samsung (SSNLF) and SK Hynix as the main suppliers for the PC market.
This year, the featured keynote speakers at CES 2026 include Dr. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD (AMD). CEOs at Caterpillar (CAT), Siemens, and Lenovo.
Your Takeaway
Watch out for stock markets pricing in a downturn in PC, gaming console, and tablet demand. Those products require the most memory chips. Smartphone prices might rise, too, but not enough to hurt demand. As a result, shares of Qualcomm (QCOM) and Apple (AAPL) should trade in a steady range this year.
