NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 09:56 ET — Market closed
Intel (INTC.O) shares last closed up 6.7% on Friday at $39.38, adding $2.48 a share ahead of the weekend shutdown.
The move set Intel up for a catalyst-heavy week in U.S. chips as CES 2026 opens on Monday in Las Vegas, where the company plans a launch event for its Core Ultra Series 3 PC processors, code-named Panther Lake. 1
That matters now because Intel is trying to prove its turnaround is translating into a steadier product cadence and stronger demand for new PCs, while it invests heavily in a foundry business — contract chipmaking for outside customers. Nvidia last week disclosed it had taken a $5 billion stake in Intel under a deal announced in September, a filing showed. 2
Intel’s rally came as chip stocks led U.S. equities higher on Friday, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up 4%, Reuters reported. “Buy the dip, sell the rip” has become the trading mentality, Charles Schwab strategist Joe Mazzola told Reuters, while flagging that investors are paying closer attention to valuations in AI-linked stocks. 3
Intel said CES runs Jan. 5-9 and scheduled a livestreamed launch event for Monday at 3 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET), led by Jim Johnson, senior vice president and general manager of Intel’s Client Computing Group. 1
The company has said Panther Lake is built on “Intel 18A,” its next-generation manufacturing process, and that Core Ultra Series 3 processors go on sale in January. “Process node” labels like 18A are industry shorthand for how tightly chips pack transistors, which can improve performance and power efficiency. 4
Intel is fighting to defend share in PC processors against Advanced Micro Devices, while pitching “AI PCs” — systems designed to run more AI features on the device instead of sending tasks to remote data centers.
The stock ended Friday about 11% below its 52-week high of $44.02 and well above its 52-week low of $17.67, MarketWatch data showed. 5
But the downside case is straightforward: any stumble in manufacturing execution or a muted reception at CES could put pressure back on Intel’s margins and timeline. Reuters has previously reported that yields for the 18A process used for Panther Lake were low as Intel worked through production issues, underscoring the risk around the ramp. 6
Macro catalysts sit alongside company news. The U.S. employment report for December is due on Friday, Jan. 9 at 8:30 a.m. ET, followed by the CPI report on Tuesday, Jan. 13, Labor Department schedules show — releases that can move rate expectations and, by extension, richly valued tech and chip stocks. 7
For the next session, traders will focus on Intel’s CES launch event Monday evening and any performance claims, pricing signals or partner announcements tied to Panther Lake, while watching for an update to Intel’s earnings schedule; the company’s investor relations calendar currently lists no upcoming events. 8
