Direxion Daily Semiconductors Bull 3x Shares (SOXL), a leveraged ETF tracking the semiconductor sector, soared 5.02% in pre-market trading on Thursday. This significant move comes as semiconductor stocks across the board are experiencing a strong rally.

The surge in SOXL is amplified due to its 3x leverage, reflecting broader strength in the chip sector. According to market data, other major semiconductor stocks are also showing robust gains. ASML is up nearly 4%, while Marvell, Broadcom, Nvidia, Applied Materials, and Micron are all up around 2%.

This rally in semiconductor stocks may be attributed to several factors. JPMorgan has reaffirmed Broadcom as its top semiconductor pick, citing strong long-term growth trends in artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers. Additionally, there are signs of recovery emerging in non-AI semiconductor businesses, which could drive growth in the coming year. The positive sentiment surrounding AI and the overall semiconductor industry appears to be a key driver for today's pre-market surge in SOXL and other chip-related stocks.