10 Stocks Dominate The S&P 500 Under Trump's Reign

Investors Business Daily | January 20, 2026 at 01:20 PM UTC
Bullish 77% Confidence Unanimous Agreement
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Key Points

  • Micron Technology leads S&P 500 gains with 243% increase since inauguration, followed by Western Digital (241%) and Seagate (234%), all benefiting from soaring demand for AI server components
  • Defense and security plays are thriving: Palantir Technologies gained 138% on government data protection contracts, while Intel received a nearly 10% government stake in August 2025
  • Gold producer Newmont jumped 174% as investors sought safe-haven assets amid intensifying geopolitical tensions under the Trump administration

AI Summary

Summary: 10 Stocks Dominate S&P 500 Under Trump's Second Term

Key Performance Metrics

Nearly one year into President Trump's second term, ten S&P 500 stocks have surged over 120%, with AI infrastructure and defense-related companies leading gains. Micron Technology (MU) tops the list with a 243% increase, followed by Western Digital (WDC) at 240.6% and Seagate Technology (STX) at 234.1%.

Main Themes and Sectors

AI Infrastructure Dominance: Component suppliers are outperforming headline AI names like Nvidia. Micron Technology, which manufactures memory chips for AI servers, leads all S&P 500 stocks. The company's profit is projected to surge 289% in 2026 and 31% in 2027, earning a perfect 99 RS Rating. Western Digital and Seagate, both computer storage makers, have also benefited from AI buildout demand.

Defense and Security: Palantir Technologies (PLTR) gained 138.2%, capitalizing on government and corporate data protection needs amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

Precious Metals: Gold producer Newmont (NEM) rose 173.9% as investors sought safe-haven assets.

Other Notable Gainers: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) +200.1%, Lam Research (LRCX) +177.7%, Robinhood Markets (HOOD) +125.9%, Amphenol (APH) +122.4%, and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) +122.3%.

Special Situation: Intel (INTC) ranks 11th, boosted after the U.S. government acquired nearly 10% stake in August 2025.

Market Implications

The data suggests positioning in AI component suppliers, defense technology, and precious metals has proven most profitable under the current administration, with government relationships providing additional advantages for select companies.

Model Analysis Breakdown

Model Sentiment Confidence
GPT-5-mini Bullish 75%
Claude 4.5 Haiku Bullish 72%
Gemini 2.5 Flash Bullish 85%
Consensus Bullish 77%