With the first half of the year already behind us, it's time to take a look at the big winners in the index. Four stocks in particular have posted gains of almost 80%, with the first of these completely outpacing the rest of the S&P 500. Here is the ranking.
Palantir: AI continues to drive the stock
The gold medal in the S&P 500 goes to Palantir, whose stock has soared nearly 93% since the beginning of 2025. Already one of the big winners of 2024, the technology group is still surfing the wave of artificial intelligence and the growing adoption of its software suite. It remains to be seen whether the stock will be able to maintain this pace, or whether its excessive valuation multiples will cause a backlash.
GE Vernova: the spin-off that has paid off
Created from the split of General Electric into three separate entities (GE Vernova, GE Aerospace and GE Healthcare), GE Vernova has emerged as the big winner in the deal. Since its IPO in March 2024, the stock has risen steadily, benefiting from growing demand for energy, particularly for data center construction. Since January, the stock has risen nearly 78%.
Seagate: storage in orbit
Up 77%, Seagate is the other big tech stock of the first half of the year. The storage solutions manufacturer is reaping the full benefits of its strategic positioning in the data center market, particularly with its HAMR drives, which combine high capacity and energy efficiency.
Newmont: gold as a safe haven
It's a different story for Newmont, the world's leading gold miner. Its share price has climbed 83% since January, driven by strong demand for gold. Quarterly results, which have consistently exceeded expectations, have reinforced its appeal to investors. It remains to be seen whether this momentum can continue until the end of the year.
