Morningstar

Data Storage Stocks Jump as Iran Cease-fire Promises to Free Up Helium Market

Provided by Dow Jones Apr 8, 2026, 12:51:00 PM

By Nicholas G. Miller

Shares of data storage companies rose after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire that promises to unlock supplies of helium, which is used in chip production.

Micron Technology jumped 9.3% in Wednesday's premarket trading. Sandisk rose 8.8%. Seagate increased 7.6%. Western Digital gained 6.8%.

The conflict in the Middle East had halted natural-gas exports from Qatar, the source of about a third of the world's helium.

That forced helium users to scramble for scarce short-term spot market cargoes, leading prices to more than double.

Chip makers use helium to maintain stable temperatures while etching silicon wafers into advanced semiconductors.

Write to Nicholas G. Miller at nicholas.miller@wsj.com.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 08, 2026 08:51 ET (12:51 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

The articles, information, and content displayed on this webpage may include materials prepared and provided by third parties. Such third-party content is offered for informational purposes only and is not endorsed, reviewed, or verified by Morningstar.

Morningstar makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any third-party content displayed on this site. The views and opinions expressed in third-party content are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Morningstar, its affiliates, or employees.

Morningstar is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or delays in this content, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Users are advised to exercise their own judgment and seek independent financial advice before making any decisions based on such content. The third-party providers of this content are not affiliated with Morningstar, and their inclusion on this site does not imply any form of partnership, agency, or endorsement.

Popular

3 Stocks to Sell and 3 Stocks to Buy for November

Plus, whether Microsoft, Alphabet, or Amphenol look attractive after earnings.

David Sekera, CFA and Sarah Hansen Nov 2, 2026

This Once-Hot AI Stock Now Looks Deeply Undervalued

This chip stock looks cheap at a 30% discount, and its biggest growth years could still be ahead.

William Kerwin, CFA Oct 29, 2026

The 10 Best Companies to Invest in Now

The stocks of these high-quality companies look cheap today.

Tori Brovet Nov 2, 2026

He Tried Shorting Jim Cramer’s Stock Picks. It Cost Him More Than Money

Historian Joseph Moore explores why a promising product can fail as an investment and why beating the market may not be worth the effort.

Christine Benz and Amy C. Arnott, CFA Nov 1, 2026

3 of the Best Dividend Stocks to Own

These dividend stocks with economic moats offer durable payouts.

Susan Dziubinski Nov 2, 2026

Sponsor Center

Transparency is our policy. Learn how it impacts everything we do

Transparency is how we protect the integrity of our work and keep empowering investors to achieve their goals and dreams. And we have unwavering standards for how we keep that integrity intact, from our research and data to our policies on content and your personal data.

We’d like to share more about how we work and what drives our day-to-day business.

How we make money

We sell different types of products and services to both investment professionals and individual investors. These products and services are usually sold through license agreements or subscriptions. Our investment management business generates asset-based fees, which are calculated as a percentage of assets under management. We also sell both admissions and sponsorship packages for our investment conferences and advertising on our websites and newsletters.

How we use your personal data

How we use your information depends on the product and service that you use and your relationship with us. We may use it to:

Verify your identity, personalize the content you receive, or create and administer your account.
Provide specific products and services to you, such as portfolio management or data aggregation.
Develop and improve features of our offerings.
Gear advertisements and other marketing efforts towards your interests.

To learn more about how we handle and protect your data, visit our privacy center.

How we approach editorial content

Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investor’s point of view. We also respect individual opinions––they represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive.

To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research.

Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process.

© Copyright 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Morningstar Index (Market Barometer) quotes are real-time.