Helsinki, June 17, 2026, 11:20 EEST
- Nokia rose 1.17% to €12.15 in Helsinki trade as of 10:36 EEST. The New York ADRs lost 5.67%, settling at $13.98.
- The company is pushing into U.S. photonic-chip packaging and planning a subsea cable upgrade in Southeast Asia, both aimed at demand for AI and cloud.
- Execution is the main risk here. Optical demand looks good, but the effect on margins will hinge on supply chains, what customers spend, and what rivals do.
Nokia Oyj shares traded higher in Helsinki on Wednesday, bouncing after their New York slide. The company released a pair of updates on its AI network infrastructure plans, putting the stock back in focus.
Nokia stock was up 1.17% to €12.15 on Nasdaq Helsinki at 10:36 EEST, data from the company’s investor site showed. But in New York, its U.S. ADRs slid 5.67% to $13.98.
Stocks traded with some interest. Nasdaq said Helsinki’s equity hours will run from 10:00 to 18:30 local time. The 2026 Helsinki market holiday list now has June 19 listed, but June 17 isn’t there. OMX Helsinki 25 hovered close to 6,300. Nokia’s trade action lagged as the market kept up with the AI-networking theme.
Nokia wants to lose its reputation as a slow-moving telecom equipment company. Reuters said in April Q1 comparable operating profit rose 54%. Revenue from AI and cloud customers climbed 49%, bringing in €1 billion in orders from that group. Hyperscalers matter more to Nokia investors now.
Nokia said late Tuesday it plans to nearly double its workforce in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as it looks to boost advanced test and packaging operations at the site. Headcount will top 500 after the expansion, with site capacity set to climb by as much as 10 times, the company said. Allentown is focused on advanced test and packaging for chips such as photonics, which are key for high-speed network modules. The move is tied to Nokia’s $4 billion multi-year U.S. investment in AI-focused connectivity R&D and manufacturing. CEO Justin Hotard called it “a direct investment in that future” as the “AI supercycle” drives network changes. Nokia Corporation | Nokia
Nokia said ahead of the Helsinki session that Symphony Communication chose it to boost the Malaysia-Cambodia-Thailand subsea cable. The new target is 30 terabits per second per fibre pair, nearly three times what’s there now. Nokia said this can help power workloads like AI inference. Ajay Sharma, Nokia’s Thailand boss, called the deal focused on “advanced, trusted connectivity.” Symphony CEO Alex Loh said the upgrade should bring “unmatched capacity and reliability.” Nokia Corporation | Nokia
Ericsson is still Nokia’s closest rival in mobile network gear, but the market is changing. Nokia has picked up Allentown and subsea assets, so it’s leaning harder into optical networks and going up against Ciena in the U.S. Earlier, Reuters reported Nokia’s $2.3 billion move for Infinera would make Nokia number two after Huawei in optical, and could help it pick up more orders from Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft as those firms invest in AI data centers.
Nokia warns about ongoing downside risk. Its Q1 filing cited tough competition, network buyers changing investment plans, and problems tied to supply chain, manufacturing, and sourcing parts. The company also named tariffs and currency swings as factors. If Nokia misses on new optical rollouts or if demand from cloud customers stops, that could weigh on hopes for a stronger AI infrastructure multiple.
Wednesday’s move isn’t a verdict—it’s just another checkpoint. The stock is moving on updates about optics, packaging, and subsea capacity. But investors want more than updates; they’re watching for repeat orders, higher margins, and improved cash flow from the company.
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