New York, Jan 28, 2026, 10:20 a.m. ET — Regular session
- Intel shares jumped roughly 9% in early trading amid a wider surge in chip stocks
- Semiconductors gained ground, buoyed by upbeat demand forecasts from SK Hynix and ASML tied to AI growth
- Intel’s CFO made a fresh insider purchase, injecting a company-specific highlight into an otherwise volatile week
Intel Corporation shares surged roughly 9% Wednesday, pushing the stock close to $48 as semiconductor buyers stepped in during early New York trading. INTC gained $4.02 to reach $47.95, touching a session peak of $48.76.
Chip stocks have been key drivers for U.S. indexes ahead of today’s Federal Reserve policy announcement and a heavy slate of Big Tech earnings. The S&P 500 broke past the 7,000 mark, with Nvidia climbing roughly 2%. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, a key gauge for chipmakers, also jumped 2.3%. (Reuters)
Supply chain optimism gave markets a boost. SK Hynix posted a record quarterly operating profit and said the AI buildout would keep memory-chip demand soaring. The company also highlighted tighter supply pushing prices higher. High bandwidth memory (HBM), key in many AI servers, stood out as a strong performer. Meanwhile, ASML reported robust order momentum from AI-focused clients. (Reuters)
Texas Instruments pushed the mood higher in the U.S. after projecting first-quarter profit and revenue that beat expectations. “TI will participate in the upturn; that should be relatively uncontroversial,” Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note. (Reuters)
Intel posted a notable insider move. According to a Form 4 filing—the SEC form insiders submit to disclose stock transactions—Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner snapped up 5,882 shares on Jan. 26 at $42.50 each. That purchase bumped his total direct stake to 247,392 shares. (SEC)
The bounce back follows a tough period for Intel, which last week admitted it couldn’t fully satisfy demand for certain server chips used in AI data centers and highlighted challenges from a memory shortage. “In the short term, I’m disappointed that we are not able to fully meet the demand in our markets,” CEO Lip-Bu Tan told analysts. Meanwhile, Michael Schulman of Running Point Capital called Intel’s recovery “supply-constrained rather than demand-constrained.” (Reuters)
But the rally might not last. Rising memory costs threaten both PC demand and profit margins. Meanwhile, Intel continues to battle Advanced Micro Devices for market share in PCs and servers.
Traders are eyeing the Fed’s statement set for 2 p.m. ET, with Chair Jerome Powell’s news conference following at 2:30 p.m. ET. These events could shake up rates-sensitive tech and chip stocks. (Federalreserve)
