IonQ Climbs 9% on Quantum Optimization Work With NVIDIA; D-Wave Rises 8%, Rigetti Gains 7%

IonQ's collaboration with NVIDIA on quantum optimization just sent the entire pure-play sector surging, but the market signal that actually reveals whether this is a real industry shift or just a speculative bet on one company's research is hiding in…

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Quantum computing stocks are trading like a thematic basket this morning, not like an industry being repriced. IonQ (NYSE:IONQ | IONQ Price Prediction) is at the center of the move, with a research disclosure about generating quantum optimization circuits using a generative machine learning method. The pure-play peers are running with it while the sector’s diversified basket barely stirs.

The Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:QTUM) is up 2% to $146.60, a modest move for a fund that mixes large diversified technology holdings with the pure plays. IonQ stock is up 9% to $40.05 in Thursday morning trading, a bounce that sits inside a losing month rather than a clean breakout. For a broader picture of tech stocks, the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) up 1.69% to $716.60.

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS) stock is up 8% to $17.52 on sympathy with IonQ, while Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI) stock is up 7% to $15.87 on the same thematic read. Additionally, Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:QUBT) stock is up 5% to $8.43 with no announcement of its own, tagging along with IonQ.