NEW YORK, Jan 31, 2026, 18:11 EST — Market closed
- Intel shares fell roughly 4.4% to close at $46.47
- Vanguard revealed it holds an 8.11% stake in a Schedule 13G filing
- Attention next week will turn to the Feb. 6 U.S. jobs report, alongside a packed earnings calendar
Intel (INTC.O) shares closed Friday at $46.47, slipping roughly 4.4% from the previous session. The stock fluctuated between $45.97 and $49.56 during the day, with around 115 million shares traded, according to market data.
The late-week decline is significant as Intel’s shares have been driven by just a few key issues: whether it can deliver enough chips to data centers and PCs, and if it can maintain healthy margins while doing so. Traders have been quick to sell into rallies whenever those answers seem uncertain or late.
Investors have grown increasingly jittery over policy risks and fresh inflation data. This volatility has struck tech and chip stocks sporadically, with Intel emerging as one of the most reactive names in the sector.
Wall Street’s key indexes ended Friday in the red after investors weighed President Donald Trump’s choice of former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell, alongside a hotter-than-expected inflation report, Reuters noted. “Markets are calibrating to Trump’s pick of Kevin Warsh,” said Michael Hans, chief investment officer at Citizens Wealth. (Reuters)
A filing Friday revealed that The Vanguard Group holds roughly 404.5 million Intel shares, representing 8.11% of the company as of Dec. 31. This came via a Schedule 13G, the form big investors must file once their stake exceeds 5%. (Intel)
Intel’s latest earnings report earlier this month put supply issues front and center. The company projected revenue for the current quarter between $11.7 billion and $12.7 billion, with adjusted earnings per share expected to break even—falling short of Wall Street estimates. This came as Intel struggled to keep up with demand for server chips powering AI data centers. CEO Lip-Bu Tan admitted to analysts, “I’m disappointed that we are not able to fully meet the demand in our markets,” while CFO David Zinsner noted that cloud customers “were all a little bit caught off guard” by the sudden surge. (Reuters)
Investors remain wary of a downside risk: supply bottlenecks lasting beyond initial forecasts, while rising expenses for launching new products squeeze margins amid fiercer competition. If AI-driven data center expansions slow down, the pressure could intensify—especially with Nvidia leading in AI accelerators and AMD aggressively advancing its CPU lineup.
Next week promises a mix of challenges. A packed earnings calendar, featuring Alphabet and Amazon, coincides with the Feb. 6 U.S. jobs report. Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, warned the market’s appetite is thin for any earnings misses, especially given the “very, very lofty” expectations companies face. (Reuters)
Intel traders are eyeing the U.S. employment report for January, set to drop at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 6. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
