New York, Jan 11, 2026, 10:26 (EST) — Market closed.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) shares slipped 0.7%, ending Friday at $203.17, falling behind a late-week uptick in the semiconductor sector. With U.S. markets closed Sunday, all eyes turn to Monday’s open for the next move. (Yahoo Finance)
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (.SOX), a key barometer for chipmakers, surged 2.7% to a record high on Friday, driven by Broadcom and Intel’s nearly 11% jump. Intel gained steam after President Donald Trump described his meeting with CEO Lip-Bu Tan as “great,” while the Supreme Court held off on ruling about the legality of Trump’s tariffs that day. “Investors are picking the winners and losers” in the AI space, said Zachary Hill, head of portfolio management at Horizon Investments. (Reuters)
A weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report kept bets alive for lower interest rates, a scenario that tends to boost tech stocks sensitive to rate changes. Payrolls climbed by 50,000 in December, falling short of the 60,000 economists predicted. The Labor Department also reported the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.4%, reinforcing views that the Fed will likely pause rate moves at its Jan. 27-28 meeting. “All roads lead to the unemployment rate,” noted Olu Sonola, head of U.S. economic research at Fitch Ratings. (Reuters)
AMD produces processors for PCs and servers, along with graphics chips for gaming and data centers. Investors are closely tracking if its AI accelerators can carve out market share from Nvidia and whether demand for PCs remains steady.
The broader market finished the week on a high note, despite the underperformance. The S&P 500 and Dow both hit record closes Friday, and the Nasdaq added roughly 0.8%, per an Associated Press market wrap. (AP News)
Policy developments linger in the background for chip stocks dependent on complex global supply chains. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates plan to join a U.S.-led effort to secure AI and semiconductor supply chains, Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg told Reuters. Qatar is slated to sign on Jan. 12, followed by the UAE on Jan. 15. An AI cooperation memorandum is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 16. (Reuters)
Inflation remains the next key macro trigger. The Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish the December consumer price index (CPI), the primary inflation measure, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Economists forecast December’s CPI will climb 0.3% compared to November, per a Morningstar preview. Unexpected results usually push bond yields higher first, then ripple rapidly through chipmakers and other growth stocks. (Morningstar)
Earnings season heats up this week as major U.S. banks deliver early results, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co scheduled to report on Thursday, Jan. 15. TSMC’s earnings often influence the mood for chip suppliers and designers like AMD, since it produces advanced semiconductors for many of them. Kiplinger’s earnings calendar highlights the key reports through Jan. 16. (Kiplinger)
AMD is targeting Feb. 3 for its next major update. The chipmaker plans to release its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results after the market closes, followed by a conference call at 5 p.m. EST. Investors will be closely watching for guidance on data-center revenue and AI chip shipment trends to gauge what’s next. (AMD)
The chip group has just reached a record high, but that doesn’t guarantee a smooth ride. Investors might rush to take profits if inflation picks up or early earnings forecasts fall short. And any fresh developments on tariffs, export restrictions, or shifts in customer spending could quickly shake the stock.
Traders coming off the weekend are zeroed in on Tuesday’s CPI release and Thursday’s TSMC report, with AMD’s earnings on February 3 still a week away. In the meantime, AMD shares are likely to move more on interest rate shifts and sector trends than on any company-specific updates.
