Microchip Technology was climbing Friday after the maker of chips and circuits for electronics beat earnings forecasts for its fiscal fourth quarter and raised guidance for the current first quarter.

For much of the last two-and-a-half years, the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated the discussion on Wall Street. Investors almost always have a next-big-thing trend to captivate their attention, and AI has certainly fit the bill since late 2022.

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as investors cheered a new trade agreement hammered out between the United States and Britain, while U.S. President Donald Trump signaled upcoming talks with China would be more substantial than initially thought.