NEW YORK, Jan 25, 2026, 18:27 EST — Market closed.
- Shares of GlobalFoundries dropped 4.8% on Friday, closing at $42.85.
- Investors brace for the Fed’s decision this week, alongside a packed schedule of megacap tech earnings that could shake up chip stocks.
- GlobalFoundries has its next big event coming up on Feb. 11, when it reports earnings and hosts its conference call.
Shares of GlobalFoundries Inc fell 4.8% on Friday, dragging the chipmaker’s stock lower ahead of Monday’s U.S. market open. The stock finished at $42.85.
This move is critical as the calendar tightens quickly. Chip stocks are sensitive to changes in risk appetite, and the sector dropped on Friday after Intel’s guidance pushed its shares sharply down.
Investors seem set to shift focus from geopolitics back to earnings and interest rates, with a hefty portion of the S&P 500 scheduled to report and a Fed meeting looming. “Earnings are the driver,” said Chris Galipeau, senior market strategist at Franklin Templeton, in a Reuters Week Ahead column. https://www.reuters.com/business/wall-st-week-ahead-fed-big-earnings-week-loom-markets-global-tensions-muddy-2026-01-23/
The Federal Open Market Committee is set to meet on Jan. 27-28, with its policy announcement due Wednesday and a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET. Even a subtle shift toward less accommodative rate policy could weigh on long-duration tech stocks—and, in turn, semiconductor shares.
GlobalFoundries is set to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 11, with a conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET.
The company is also extending its long-term strategy. On Jan. 14, it announced an agreement to acquire Synopsys’ ARC processor IP solutions business. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approval. CEO Tim Breen said the acquisition “doubles down on our commitment to advancing our leadership in Physical AI.” https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/14/3218697/0/en/GlobalFoundries-to-Acquire-Synopsys-Processor-IP-Solutions-Business-Expanding-Capabilities-to-Accelerate-Physical-AI-Applications.html
GlobalFoundries named Ganesh Moorthy, the former CEO of Microchip Technology, to its board just a day later. Executive chairman Thomas Caulfield praised Moorthy’s “deep understanding of semiconductor technology and manufacturing at scale,” calling it a tremendous asset. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/15/3219557/0/en/GlobalFoundries-Appoints-Ganesh-Moorthy-to-Board-of-Directors.html
GlobalFoundries is a contract chipmaker—a foundry that manufactures chips designed by other firms—with customers across smartphones, automotive, and communications equipment. According to its latest quarterly update, Reuters noted smartphones as its largest segment, while automotive and data center businesses remain smaller but still significant.
But things could still go south. If the Fed comes across as more hawkish than anticipated, tech stocks sensitive to rates might drop again. And if GlobalFoundries’ Feb. 11 forecast signals weaker demand or tougher pricing, its stock might slide further. Timing on deals also matters—the Synopsys asset sale is still waiting on approvals.
As trading picks up, investors will wrestle with whether Friday’s selloff was just a brief dip linked to the chip sector’s stumble or the kickoff to a bigger reset ahead of earnings season. Key upcoming dates include the Fed’s decision on Wednesday, Jan. 28, and GlobalFoundries reporting on Feb. 11.
