Why Microsoft Stock Is Surging Today

Source Motley_fool

Key Points

  • Microsoft and other software stocks are rising today on hopes that the war with Iran could be resolved in the near future.

  • Microsoft was also added to a list of Goldman Sachs' top stock picks.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Goldman Sachs Group ›

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock is seeing another day of strong gains in this Monday's trading, with its share price up 5.2% as of 1:50 p.m. ET. The S&P 500 had risen 1.4% at the same point in the daily session, and the Nasdaq Composite was up 2.1%.

The broader market is rallying today on news that the U.S. and Iran are once again negotiating to end the war. Microsoft stock is also getting a continued boost from the stellar earnings report that it published last week and new coverage from Goldman Sachs.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »

A chart line going up over a hundred-dollar bill.

Image source: Getty Images.

Software stocks are rallying in response to the latest Iran war news

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump said that the basic framework for a deal to end the Iran war and reopen shipping lines through the Strait of Hormuz was in place and that negotiations between the countries would formally resume today. While concerns about competition from Chinese rivals have depressed bullish momentum for semiconductor stocks, leading artificial intelligence (AI) software companies are generally seeing strong gains in response to the geopolitical news today.

Goldman Sachs adds Microsoft to its U.S. Conviction List

Before the market opened this morning, Goldman Sachs released its latest U.S. Conviction List -- which details the investment firm's top picks. With the report, the firm's analysts reiterated a buy rating on the stock, maintained a price target of $640 per share, and cited the company's ideal position in the AI industry and capabilities for enterprise integration as reasons for including the company on its list of top buys. While Goldman was already bullish on the stock, the blockbuster quarterly report that Microsoft published last week has significantly shifted the narrative surrounding the company -- and shares could keep rallying in the near term.

Should you buy stock in Goldman Sachs Group right now?

Before you buy stock in Goldman Sachs Group, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Goldman Sachs Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $386,727!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,232,139!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 906% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 3, 2026.

Keith Noonan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Intel Price Forecast: Nvidia Picked Xeon 6, Invested $5B, Yet Analysts Still Trail INTCIntel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) sits at $140.05, holding firm on the ascending trendline within the 2H timeframe. The RSI indicator is currently reading 55.21, positioning it as neutral-
Author  TradingKey
7 Month 02 Day Thu
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) sits at $140.05, holding firm on the ascending trendline within the 2H timeframe. The RSI indicator is currently reading 55.21, positioning it as neutral-
placeholder
NVIDIA Price Forecast: Michael Burry Shorts NVDA, but Analysts See $299On July 1, NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) sits at $198.34, failing to break above the former support level that is now serving as resistance between $198 and $205 on the 2H chart's downward blue c
Author  TradingKey
7 Month 02 Day Thu
On July 1, NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) sits at $198.34, failing to break above the former support level that is now serving as resistance between $198 and $205 on the 2H chart's downward blue c
placeholder
Meta Compute Launch Sends AI Compute Stocks Tumbling GloballyMeta’s plan to sell surplus computing power hit chip stocks hard on Wall Street. Meta’s own shares climbed nearly 9% on the news.The announcement flipped years of assumed AI compute scarcity into a su
Author  Beincrypto
7 Month 02 Day Thu
Meta’s plan to sell surplus computing power hit chip stocks hard on Wall Street. Meta’s own shares climbed nearly 9% on the news.The announcement flipped years of assumed AI compute scarcity into a su
placeholder
Brent Crude Oil Erases Entire War Premium, Falls 40% to Pre-War LevelsBrent crude oil has erased its entire war premium, sliding roughly 40% from its March peak near $120 to trade around $72.25 on Wednesday. The move returns oil to its pre-war support base.The retreat f
Author  Beincrypto
7 Month 02 Day Thu
Brent crude oil has erased its entire war premium, sliding roughly 40% from its March peak near $120 to trade around $72.25 on Wednesday. The move returns oil to its pre-war support base.The retreat f
placeholder
Today’s Market Recap: Chip Stocks Retreat Collectively, Meta Rises Against the Trend, Non-Farm Payrolls Become the Next Key CatalystOn July 1, Eastern Time, U.S. stocks closed fluctuating lower on the first trading day of the second half of the year. Although some megacap tech stocks such as Meta (
Author  TradingKey
7 Month 02 Day Thu
On July 1, Eastern Time, U.S. stocks closed fluctuating lower on the first trading day of the second half of the year. Although some megacap tech stocks such as Meta (
goTop
quote