AI hardware momentum keeps chips in focus as rate bets wobble this week

Markets start a lighter week as investors eye PMIs and ISM services data after a June jobs report that added 57,000 payrolls and saw revisions lower, tempering bets on an imminent Fed rate hike while inflation remains a concern. Earnings highlights include PepsiCo and Delta Air Lines. In the AI space, memory and processor names (MU, INTC, AMD) led gains in the first half of 2026, helping the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rally roughly 75% year-to-date, underscoring Bank of America’s view that AI’s growth now hinges on physical infrastructure—chips and power—as memory shortages persist.