Why Microsoft Stock Popped Today

Microsoft shares jumped more than 4% on April 15, 2026, extending a rebound that has left the stock roughly 15% higher since late-March lows after it had slid over 30% from its 52-week high. The rally is being driven by renewed investor confidence in Azure and AI-related demand: a KeyBanc survey found 85% of IT executives expect to increase spending on Azure and reported rising use of Microsoft’s Copilot. Reports that Microsoft secured substantial compute capacity in a Norwegian data center (originally earmarked for OpenAI) also eased concerns about capacity constraints and supported the stock’s move higher. The article frames the move as a continuation of Microsoft’s recovery from earlier AI-disruption and capital-expenditure fears, implying further upside may be possible.