Sandisk shares climbed 1.8% to $866.90 in premarket trading on Monday after Nasdaq said the flash memory supplier will join the Nasdaq 100 index before April 20. This change serves as a structural catalyst for buying. Index and exchange-traded funds must buy the stock when it is added to the index.
This addition caps a strong run for Sandisk. Shares have risen 259% this year and 2,439% over the past 12 months. The surge stems from investor confidence that the AI data center boom will sustain demand for memory storage. Joining the Nasdaq 100 increases momentum by boosting required ownership from funds, generating short-term mechanical demand over discretionary demand.
SanDisk’s entry means Atlassian will exit the Nasdaq 100. Atlassian shares have fallen 65% in 2026. This drop reflects market fears that AI productivity tools threaten traditional software. Software stocks have been hurt, while AI infrastructure hardware firms like Sandisk have gained.
The contrast between these stocks highlights a key 2026 trend: investors are shifting from older software to AI hardware and memory. For traders, SanDisk’s addition to the Nasdaq 100 supports technical momentum. Index rotation also drives steady institutional demand as April 20 nears.
