
Several powerful market themes have already taken hold in 2026, producing outsized winners across multiple sectors. The memory chip shortage, for instance, has reignited explosive momentum in the sector this year, with names like SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) picking up right where they left off last year. SanDisk is now the top-performing stock in the S&P 500, already up nearly 100% year-to-date.
Aerospace and defense have also been front and center. Stocks like Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) and FTAI Aviation (NASDAQ: FTAI) have delivered impressive double-digit gains early in the year as global defense spending and commercial aviation demand remain elevated.