NEW YORK, December 28, 2025, 20:28 ET — Market closed
- Intel closed Friday up 0.1% at $36.20 and was last indicated at $36.19. [1]
- A report that Nvidia stopped moving forward with tests of Intel’s 18A process has kept attention on Intel’s foundry turnaround. [2]
- Traders head into Monday watching U.S. housing data and Fed minutes, plus Intel’s next earnings window. [3]
Intel shares ended Friday up 0.1% at $36.20 and were last indicated at $36.19 as U.S. markets head into the final sessions of the year. [4]
That matters for Intel because the stock has become a live referendum on its effort to claw back manufacturing leadership and sell chipmaking capacity to outside customers through its foundry business — a shift that requires heavy investment and patience. [5]
A Reuters report this week that Nvidia stopped moving forward with tests of Intel’s “18A” manufacturing process kept scrutiny on whether Intel can land top-tier customers for its most advanced production technology. [6]
Process names like 18A are shorthand for a chipmaker’s manufacturing generation; the node is central to Intel’s pitch that it can deliver faster, more power-efficient chips and compete with rivals that dominate contract manufacturing. [7]
Intel’s 18A technologies are “progressing well,” and the company continues to see strong interest in its next-generation “14A” process, Reuters reported. Nvidia did not answer a request for comment, the report said. [8]
Packaging has also moved to the center of Intel’s sales pitch as AI processors swell and demand more high-bandwidth memory. “Packaging” refers to how multiple chips — often “chiplets” — are connected inside one device to act like a larger system. [9]
Tom’s Hardware reported Friday that Intel unveiled a concept for an “extreme” multi-chiplet package that would scale to more than 10,000 square millimeters of silicon — about 12 times the size of today’s largest AI processors — and incorporate HBM5 memory stacks. [10]
The design used future 14A compute tiles and 18A components, along with advanced interconnect approaches such as hybrid bonding and embedded bridges, the report said — an attempt to build systems bigger than a single chip pattern can typically be printed in one step. [11]
Intel’s competitive backdrop remains dominated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, which leads in both contract chip production and advanced packaging for many AI chip designers. Reuters has reported that Intel is trying to close that gap as it courts partners. [12]
The company has leaned on deep-pocketed backers as it tries to fund the turnaround. Reuters reported the U.S. government committed billions of dollars for a nearly 10% stake, while Nvidia and SoftBank agreed to buy Intel shares as part of broader partnerships. [13]
“Right now we are focused on collaborations,” Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan told reporters while announcing the Nvidia tie-up, Reuters reported. [14]
On the chart, Intel’s shares traded between $35.85 and $36.49 on Friday and sit below a 52-week high of about $44.02, according to Investing.com data. [15]
Before Monday’s open, traders will be watching a light holiday week for data that can move bond yields and large-cap technology shares. Pending home sales are due at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Scotiabank’s calendar showed. [16]
The schedule also includes the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index and the Chicago PMI on Tuesday, followed by the Federal Reserve’s December meeting minutes at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday. [17]
Intel’s next earnings date is estimated around Jan. 29, 2026, according to Nasdaq, though the company has not confirmed a date. Investors will be looking for fresh color on foundry customer traction and the roadmap for 18A and 14A as the next catalysts. [18]
References
1. www.investing.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.scotiabank.com, 4. www.investing.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.tomshardware.com, 10. www.tomshardware.com, 11. www.tomshardware.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.investing.com, 16. www.scotiabank.com, 17. www.scotiabank.com, 18. www.nasdaq.com
