New York, January 27, 2026, 10:31 ET — Regular session
Intel shares climbed 3.3% to $43.91 in early trading Tuesday, riding a wider surge in semiconductor stocks. The iShares Semiconductor ETF jumped roughly 2.4%, with Nvidia and AMD also gaining ground.
The decline followed a 5.7% drop for Intel just one day earlier, adding to the fallout from a steep selloff late last week triggered by a weak forecast. Investors remain divided on whether the pressure reflects short-term supply issues or deeper structural problems. 1
This matters now as the stock heads into a jam-packed week: the Federal Reserve kicks off its January policy meeting Tuesday, and risk appetite has been jittery with every earnings update. Chipmakers remain one of the market’s busiest sectors, and Intel’s recent outlook revision leaves almost no margin for error. 2
Intel projected first-quarter revenue between $11.7 billion and $12.7 billion last week. It also forecast a loss of 21 cents per share for the quarter, though its adjusted, or non-GAAP, earnings are expected to break even. Non-GAAP results exclude certain items companies believe obscure core performance. 3
Chief executive Lip-Bu Tan told investors the company is “working aggressively to grow supply to meet strong customer demand,” highlighting the launch of products using Intel’s 18A manufacturing process, its next-gen production technology. 3
The stock’s jump in January set it up for a fall when guidance came in below expectations. TD Cowen analysts called the rally “largely driven by ‘the dream’ rather than the near-term reality or fundamentals.” Intel CFO David Zinsner noted supply issues hit their worst in Q1 but should ease in Q2. 4
On Jan. 23, Intel submitted a prospectus supplement related to a previous deal with the U.S. Department of Commerce, labeled the “selling securityholder.” The company clarified this filing doesn’t guarantee any shares will be sold, nor will Intel get any proceeds from such a sale. 5
Intel flagged the client PC cycle as another near-term priority. It announced that its Core Ultra Series 3 mobile processors will hit online and retail shelves, as well as PC makers’ storefronts, starting Jan. 27. 6
Yet, the risk on the downside remains. Should component bottlenecks and manufacturing yields fail to improve as quickly as Intel anticipates, supply issues might drag on well into the year, capping sales and tightening margins despite steady demand. 7
The Fed’s next move, set for Wednesday, January 28, is the key event on traders’ radar. Meanwhile, Intel investors will be eyeing early signals from the PC rollout as Series 3 systems hit stores this week. 8
