NEW YORK, Jan 18, 2026, 19:56 EST — The market has closed.
- Shares of GlobalFoundries slipped 0.7% on Friday, finishing the session at $41.24.
- U.S. stock and bond markets remain closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day; trading will resume Tuesday.
- Traders are parsing the latest trade-war updates, gearing up for earnings season in the chip sector.
GlobalFoundries Inc shares edged down 0.7% on Friday, finishing at $41.24 ahead of the U.S. long weekend. The stock swung between $41.10 and $42.41, with about 3.4 million shares changing hands.
U.S. stock and bond markets will close Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Trading will pick up again Tuesday as usual. This break offers investors time to digest weekend developments ahead of the cash equity session reopening. 1
U.S. equity futures dipped in early Asian trading following President Donald Trump’s announcement of fresh tariffs on eight European nations. George Saravelos, Deutsche Bank’s global head of FX research, told Reuters that “weaponization of capital rather than trade flows would by far be the most disruptive to markets.” 2
GlobalFoundries is running into trouble with its bid to buy Synopsys’ processor IP solutions unit. Processor IP—short for intellectual property—means pre-designed processor architectures and tools that customers license to fast-track chip creation rather than starting from scratch.
“This acquisition doubles down on our commitment,” said GlobalFoundries CEO Tim Breen, highlighting the company’s focus on what it calls “physical AI”—embedding AI directly into devices like wearables and robots. Synopsys has not revealed the deal’s financial details. 3
GlobalFoundries brought Ganesh Moorthy, former CEO of Microchip Technology, onto its board effective Jan. 15. Executive chairman Thomas Caulfield described Moorthy as “a tremendous asset to GF” as the company advances its strategic goals. 4
The stock tends to follow broader semiconductor trends, but the sector’s dynamics aren’t uniform. Investors chasing AI opportunities have little tolerance for suppliers linked to slow-moving auto and industrial demand, where “essential” chips frequently build up in inventory cycles.
Another crucial question hanging over the Synopsys deal: will GlobalFoundries manage to turn a processor IP portfolio into a genuine revenue stream alongside its foundry business, without diverting management’s attention as customers push for lower prices and quicker turnaround?
The acquisition hinges on standard closing conditions and required regulatory green lights, the company said, aiming to wrap up in the latter half of calendar year 2026. Any delays or fresh trade disputes dampening electronics demand could push the stock’s direction to hinge more on risk appetite than on fundamentals. 5
All eyes are on Feb. 11, when GlobalFoundries will release its Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings, followed by a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET. Investors are looking for updates on demand trends, capacity utilization, and where things stand with the Synopsys deal timeline. 6
