Nvidia's $24B Trading Volume Soars to Top as AI Demand and Data Center Growth Drive Surge

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) saw a trading volume of $24.00 billion on August 18, ranking first in the market, with the stock rising 0.86% amid strong demand for AI infrastructure and product upgrades. Analysts highlighted the company’s Blackwell architecture and Data Center segment as key growth drivers, with Cantor Fitzgerald’s C.J. Muse raising his price target to $240. The analyst projected Q2 revenue of $48 billion, exceeding consensus estimates, and forecast Data Center sales to reach $42.9 billion in the same period. Looking ahead, Muse anticipates $200 billion in Data Center revenue for 2025 and $300 billion in 2026, significantly above current market expectations. He attributed this growth to hyperscaler spending increases, a $1.5 trillion global AI investment pipeline, and enterprise adoption trends.

Challenges persist in China due to H20 export restrictions, though Muse noted most models already exclude this revenue, leaving room for upside if shipments resume. Gross margin expansion to mid-70% by late 2025 is expected, driven by Blackwell product mix and operational efficiency. Morgan Stanley also reiterated an “Overweight” rating, citing the Rubin platform’s on-track development and potential for server deployment in late 2026. Despite short-term uncertainties, the company’s roadmap beyond Blackwell reinforces long-term visibility in AI infrastructure leadership.

A strategy of holding the top 500 most actively traded stocks for one day from 2022 to 2025 yielded a total return of 31.52% over 365 days, with an average daily gain of 0.98%. This reflects modest momentum capture but underscores market volatility and timing risks inherent in such an approach.