These were the top 10 performing stocks in the S&P 500 in the first half of 2023

Reuters

• US stocks have surged in 2023, with the S&P 500 entering a new bull market after a difficult 2022.

• Everything from artificial intelligence hype to a rebound in cruise line travel helped drive performance.

• These were the top 10 performing S&P 500 stocks in the first half of 2023.

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With the first half of the year in the books, investors have a lot to reflect on after the S&P 500 exited its 2022 bear market and entered a new bull market.

Stocks have surged as investors gain hope that inflation is easing and a potential recession is farther away than previously expected. 

The S&P 500 has jumped nearly 15% year-to-date, while the Nasdaq 100 is up about 37%. Much of the gains have been driven by hype around artificial intelligence, but the top 10 performing stocks aren't only tech names.

From home builder companies to cruise line operators, these were the top 10 performing S&P 500 stocks in the first half of 2023.

10. General Electric

GE.

General Electric reports strong earnings.Hussein Faleh/Getty Images

Ticker: GE
Year-to-date gain: 64.8%

9. PulteGroup

A builder works on a home roof.

A builder works on a home roof.Jenn Austin-Driver/Getty Images

Ticker: PHM
Year-to-date gain: 69.8%

8. Norwegian Cruise Lines

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Prima sailing by New York City

Norwegian Cruise Line

Ticker: NCLH
Year-to-date gain: 70.8%

7. Advanced Micro Devices

AMD CEO Lisa Su

AMD CEO Lisa SuSteve Marcus/Reuters

Ticker: AMD
Year-to-date gain: 71.8%

6. Palo Alto Networks

palo alto networks

Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Ticker: PANW
Year-to-date gain: 81.5%

5. Royal Caribbean Cruises

The Blaster, Royal Caribbean Cruise ShipsRoyal Caribbean Press

Ticker: RCL
Year-to-date gain: 105.5%

4. Tesla

Tesla launched its insurance product in 2019Getty Images

Ticker: TSLA
Year-to-date gain: 109.0%

3. Carnival Corporation

Half Moon Cay, Carnival

Cruise Image Library/Holland America Line

Ticker: CCL
Year-to-date gain: 112.9%

2. Meta Platforms

Meta

Getty Images

Ticker: META
Year-to-date gain: 134.0%

1. Nvidia

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, reacts to a video at his keynote address at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 7, 2018.

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, reacts to a video at his keynote address at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 7, 2018.Rick Wilking/Reuters

Ticker: NVDA
Year-to-date gain: 179.3%

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