Intel stock closed at $37.81 on Dec. 12 after a sharp weekly pullback. Here’s the latest INTC news, analyst forecasts, technical levels, and what to watch next week.
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) ended Friday, December 12, 2025, at $37.81, down 4.30% on the day as a cluster of headline risks (governance, geopolitics, and legal/regulatory developments) collided with a broader market selloff. [1]
For investors, the bigger story isn’t just one rough session: Intel is now about 14% below its $44.02 52‑week high (set Dec. 3) and just slipped under several widely watched technical thresholds—right as markets head into a potentially volatile week driven by delayed U.S. economic data and December derivatives expiration. [2]
Intel stock price today (Dec. 12): the numbers that mattered
- Close: $37.81 (-4.30%) [3]
- Day’s range: roughly $37.6 to $40.0 [4]
- Second straight down day: Intel logged back-to-back losses into the weekend. [5]
Friday’s move also came on a broadly weak tape: the S&P 500 fell 1.07% and the Dow dropped 0.51%, while several large chip names declined as well. [6]
INTC this week: what happened from Monday to Friday
Using the week’s daily closes, Intel stock moved from $40.30 (Mon., Dec. 8) to $37.81 (Fri., Dec. 12). That’s a ~6.18% weekly decline (based on those closing prices). [7]
A quick recap of the week’s rhythm:
- Mon (Dec. 8): $40.30 (down day) [8]
- Tue (Dec. 9): $40.50 (small rebound) [9]
- Wed (Dec. 10): $40.78 (another small gain) [10]
- Thu (Dec. 11): $39.51 (sharp drop) [11]
- Fri (Dec. 12): $37.81 (another sharp drop) [12]
The takeaway: INTC tried to stabilize midweek, then broke lower into the close as fresh reporting and risk sentiment pressured the semiconductor space.
The biggest Intel headlines from the last few days
Here are the Intel-specific catalysts investors have been digesting—each with a clear date stamp:
1) Reuters “Exclusive” on Intel testing tools tied to a sanctioned China-linked unit (Dec. 12)
Reuters reported that Intel tested wet etch tools from ACM Research—a toolmaker with two overseas units that were targeted by U.S. sanctions—for potential use in Intel’s most advanced process development. The report said the tools were tested for possible use in Intel’s 14A process, which Reuters noted is due for an initial launch in 2027. [13]
Reuters also reported Intel said ACM’s tools “are not used” in Intel’s semiconductor production process and that Intel complies with applicable U.S. laws and regulations. [14]
Why it matters for INTC: even without evidence of a rule violation (Reuters said it had none), the story introduces a national security and policy overhang that can affect sentiment, especially because Intel is central to U.S. industrial policy and leading-edge domestic manufacturing efforts. [15]
2) Reuters investigation on CEO Lip‑Bu Tan conflict-of-interest concerns (Dec. 10; updated Dec. 11)
Reuters reported that Intel pursued deals involving companies tied to CEO Lip‑Bu Tan’s investment interests, raising questions around potential conflicts—while also noting Intel has implemented policies requiring Tan to recuse himself from decisions where he might benefit. [16]
Reuters also reported that Tan’s industry connections helped Intel secure major financing, including a $5 billion investment from Nvidia and $2 billion from SoftBank. [17]
Why it matters for INTC: governance stories often create “headline volatility” because investors struggle to price the range of outcomes—from “no material impact” to “policy/board scrutiny intensifies.”
3) EU antitrust case: Intel loses challenge, but fine reduced (Dec. 10)
Reuters reported Intel lost its challenge against an EU antitrust ruling tied to past payments, but Europe’s General Court reduced the fine—cutting it to about €237 million from €376 million. [18]
Why it matters for INTC: it’s not existential to Intel’s financial model at this scale, but it adds another data point to the week’s “risk pile” (legal + regulatory + geopolitics + governance).
4) India manufacturing push: Tata Electronics signs Intel as a major customer (Dec. 8)
Reuters reported India’s Tata Electronics secured Intel as one of the major customers for upcoming chip facilities. Reuters said Tata is investing about $14 billion to build India’s first semiconductor fab (Gujarat) plus an assembly/testing facility (Assam), and that Intel and Tata will explore scaling AI PC solutions for India. [19]
Why it matters for INTC: the story supports Intel’s positioning across PC silicon and supply-chain partnerships—though markets appear to have prioritized near-term risk headlines over longer-term partnership positives this week.
5) Intel keeps its networking and communications unit (NEX) (Dec. 3)
Earlier in the month (but still close enough to shape December positioning), Reuters reported Intel decided to keep its networking and communications unit (NEX) after evaluating strategic options, saying it enables tighter integration across silicon, software, and systems for AI/data center/edge offerings. [20]
Reuters also noted Intel’s financing backdrop: the company “clinched an $8.9 billion investment from the U.S. government for a 10% stake,” plus investments from Nvidia and SoftBank that improved cash position, according to CFO Dave Zinsner. [21]
Fundamentals backdrop: what Intel last guided (and why it still matters)
While this week’s tape was headline-driven, Intel’s most recent official financial guideposts are still the anchor for many longer-term investors.
In its Q3 2025 release, Intel reported:
- Q3 revenue:$13.7 billion (up 3% YoY) [22]
- EPS attributable to Intel:$0.90 (non‑GAAP $0.23) [23]
- Q4 2025 outlook: revenue $12.8B–$13.8B, EPS $(0.14) (non‑GAAP $0.08) [24]
Intel also noted its Q4 guidance excludes Altera following the sale of a majority stake completed in Q3. [25]
Analyst forecasts: where Wall Street stands on INTC right now
Analyst views on Intel remain mixed, with a notable gap between bullish long-term turnaround expectations and bearish near-term execution/competitive risks.
According to MarketBeat’s compiled analyst data:
- Consensus rating:“Reduce” [26]
- Average 12‑month price target:$34.84 [27]
- Target range shown:$20.00 (low) to $52.00 (high) [28]
- Rating distribution: 3 sell, 22 hold, 9 buy (as listed on the page) [29]
How to interpret this for next week: with INTC closing at $37.81, an average target around $34.84 implies analysts (in aggregate) see limited upside and some downside risk from here—though the wide range shows there’s no consensus on how quickly Intel’s turnaround can translate into durable earnings power.
Technical analysis: is Intel stock oversold?
Intel’s short-term technical picture deteriorated into the weekend.
Investing.com’s daily technical read (timestamped Dec. 12, 2025) flagged:
- Daily summary: “Sell / Strong Sell” [30]
- RSI(14):29.718 (often interpreted as oversold) [31]
- Key moving averages (daily):
- MA(50): 40.35
- MA(200): 38.12
(Both shown as “Sell,” with INTC closing below them.) [32]
At the same time, Investing.com’s multi-timeframe summary shows a split: daily = Sell, while weekly/monthly = Strong Buy on that page—highlighting the tug-of-war between near-term momentum and the longer-term uptrend that carried Intel to a fresh 52‑week high earlier this month. [33]
Levels traders may watch: Investing.com’s pivot table places nearby reference points roughly in the high-$37s to low-$38s zone. [34]
Week ahead (Dec. 15–19): the catalysts that could move INTC
Intel-specific news can always break at any time, but next week’s likely drivers are fairly clear:
1) Policy/geopolitics follow-through after the ACM tool-testing report
If lawmakers or regulators amplify the issue raised in Reuters’ Dec. 12 “Exclusive,” Intel could see continued headline sensitivity—especially because the report explicitly connected the issue to national-security concerns and the use of equipment for advanced process development. [35]
2) A heavy U.S. data week with delayed releases
Reuters noted investors are eager for delayed economic data next week, including retail sales, to better assess growth and inflation dynamics—important for rate expectations and equity risk appetite. [36]
Two concrete dates to watch:
- Retail sales release rescheduled to Dec. 16, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau) [37]
- November 2025 CPI scheduled for Dec. 18, 2025 (BLS), with BLS also noting data complications due to a 2025 lapse in appropriations. [38]
For chip stocks like Intel—often sensitive to shifts in growth expectations and discount rates—surprises in these prints can spill directly into INTC’s multiple and momentum.
3) Triple witching on Friday, Dec. 19
Triple witching—when major index futures and options expire—can bring heavier volume and sharper intraday swings. Bankrate lists Dec. 19, 2025 as a triple-witching date. [39]
4) Positioning ahead of Intel’s next earnings window
Intel has not confirmed its next earnings date on the Nasdaq page, but Nasdaq’s estimate points to Jan. 29, 2026. MarketBeat also lists an estimated next earnings date of Jan. 29, 2026 based on past schedules. [40]
As January approaches, investors often start repositioning earlier—especially after a volatile December.
Bottom line for Intel stock heading into next week
Intel enters the week of Dec. 15 with:
- Weak short-term momentum (and “oversold” signals on some indicators), [41]
- A busy headline backdrop (governance scrutiny + China-linked tool-testing concerns + EU legal developments), [42]
- And macro volatility risk from delayed U.S. data releases and December options/futures expiration dynamics. [43]
That mix can create two-way trading: oversold conditions sometimes fuel rebounds, but sustained uncertainty can also keep rallies capped until investors get clarity—either from the news cycle or from Intel’s next fundamental checkpoint.
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.marketwatch.com, 4. www.investing.com, 5. www.marketwatch.com, 6. www.marketwatch.com, 7. www.investing.com, 8. www.investing.com, 9. www.investing.com, 10. www.investing.com, 11. www.investing.com, 12. www.investing.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.reuters.com, 21. www.reuters.com, 22. www.intc.com, 23. www.intc.com, 24. www.intc.com, 25. www.intc.com, 26. www.marketbeat.com, 27. www.marketbeat.com, 28. www.marketbeat.com, 29. www.marketbeat.com, 30. www.investing.com, 31. www.investing.com, 32. www.investing.com, 33. www.investing.com, 34. www.investing.com, 35. www.reuters.com, 36. www.reuters.com, 37. www.census.gov, 38. www.bls.gov, 39. www.bankrate.com, 40. www.nasdaq.com, 41. www.investing.com, 42. www.reuters.com, 43. www.reuters.com
