Astera Labs (ALAB) kicked off 2026 with a major rally. On Friday, January 2, 2026, ALAB surged 7.93% to close at $179.56 on about 5.7 million shares traded, and it traded around $180.35 in after-hours that evening. This move came as the broader semiconductor sector also jumped, with the PHLX Semiconductor Index (SOX) rising about 4% on the first trading day of the year.

In this short, we break down the verified price action, the volume, and the sector context that helps explain why ALAB moved higher.