New York, January 30, 2026, 09:20 ET — Premarket
- Intel shares dipped 0.2%, trading at $48.66 before the market opened.
- The stock surged 11% Wednesday amid a broader rally in chip names sparked by new signs of AI-driven demand.
- Attention now turns to next week’s big-tech earnings and the U.S. jobs report set for Feb. 6.
Intel shares dipped 0.2% to $48.66 in premarket action on Friday, slipping from Thursday’s close at $48.77.
The shift follows a sharp midweek jump in chip stocks, as investors scramble to figure out if the recent surge in artificial-intelligence infrastructure spending is reaching beyond the typical leaders.
Intel surged 11% on Wednesday, helping chip stocks push the Nasdaq higher. Traders digested the Federal Reserve’s steady-rate stance, debating its impact on risk appetite heading into February. (Reuters)
A Reuters report earlier this week highlighted strong results and forecasts from Texas Instruments and ASML, signaling that AI-driven demand in data centers is spreading. Louise Dudley, a portfolio manager at Federated Hermes, noted that “companies across the broader supply chain… are expanding their growth plans.” Meanwhile, Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said ASML’s new orders “blew past expectations,” pointing to another surge in spending. (Reuters)
Intel saw a boost Wednesday following a DigiTimes report that Apple and Nvidia might turn to Intel for some chip manufacturing in 2028. Neither company has confirmed these talks. (Investopedia)
The rally hit a reality check with Intel’s own outlook. On Jan. 22, the company projected first-quarter revenue between $11.7 billion and $12.7 billion, warning that supply constraints would persist in the near term. CEO Lip-Bu Tan emphasized Intel’s “conviction in the essential role of CPUs in the AI era continues to grow,” while CFO David Zinsner noted supply would likely be “at its lowest level in Q1” before getting better. (Intel Corporation)
Why it matters now: Intel is racing to show it can satisfy demand for its key server and PC chips while simultaneously launching a contract-manufacturing operation — a “foundry” — to produce chips for other firms.
The path forward isn’t smooth. If AI-related orders falter or supply bottlenecks drag on beyond what management anticipates, costs could stay high and shipments stall — even with steady demand.
Traders are gearing up for earnings and capital spending announcements from Alphabet and Amazon, along with AMD’s results. All eyes are also on the Feb. 6 U.S. jobs report, which could shake up forecasts on the timing of the next Fed rate cut. (Reuters)
