New York, Jan 22, 2026, 4:04 PM EST — Trading after hours.
- Late Thursday in U.S. trading, Nvidia shares edged up roughly 0.5% to $184.32.
- CEO Jensen Huang is set to visit China in late January, aiming to regain access to a crucial market for Nvidia’s AI chips, according to a report.
- Traders are eyeing Nvidia’s fiscal Q4 results, due Feb. 25.
Nvidia shares edged up Thursday, adding to a volatile week for the AI leader as investors digested new developments out of China alongside questions about the next wave of AI investment.
China’s role is critical now, caught between geopolitics and growth dynamics. Export restrictions can slash demand fast, but a reopening could shift sales forecasts just as investors recalibrate their 2026 outlook. For Nvidia, the recent trip report adds to the uncertainty over whether its H200 chips will gain access to the Chinese market.
Wednesday’s rebound made clear how quickly mood shifts in the market. Nvidia climbed 2.95%, finishing at $183.32, beating many large-cap rivals as the broader market recovered.
Bloomberg News says Huang is set to visit China in late January, timing it near company events before the Lunar New Year. The schedule might still shift. Nvidia declined to comment, Reuters reported.
The same report noted that the Trump administration recently approved exports of Nvidia’s H200 chips, touted as its second-most powerful AI processor. Yet, Chinese customs later declared those chips barred from entry. This kind of conflicting move can halt orders as lawyers and logistics teams hold off, waiting for clarity.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Nvidia put $150 million into AI startup Baseten, joining a $300 million funding round that values the company at $5 billion. This move highlights the fierce competition around “inference” — the phase where trained AI models produce results — signaling a shift beyond the training surge that propelled Nvidia’s rise. Wall Street Journal
Mizuho analysts, quoted by Barron’s, estimate inference currently accounts for about 20% to 40% of AI workloads, with projections climbing to 60% to 80% down the line. This trend should boost overall chip demand but also creates space for alternative hardware and custom silicon to challenge on cost and power efficiency.
At Davos on Wednesday, Huang dismissed bubble concerns, calling current capital spending an early-stage buildout. “There are trillions of dollars of infrastructure that needs to be built out,” he said, adding the world is only “a few 100 billion dollars into it,” according to Fortune. Fortune
Still, the tape has been jittery. Nvidia dropped 4.38% on Jan. 20 before bouncing back, showing how quickly positions can shift when rates, policy news, and concerns about China collide.
Chip stocks showed a split on Thursday: AMD climbed roughly 1.3%, while Broadcom dipped around 1.2% in late trading. This highlights that the “AI trade” hasn’t moved in a straight line this week.
The main risk is straightforward: Huang can travel, yet policy might still tighten. If access to China stays restricted—or if U.S. approvals and China customs fail to sync—investors could slash near-term revenue forecasts once more, especially ahead of earnings.
Traders are now eyeing details on the timing and goals of Huang’s China visit, alongside Nvidia’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings due Feb. 25.
