New York, January 6, 2026, 10:29 EST — Regular session
- Intel shares rise about 1% as investors weigh CES launch of 18A-made Panther Lake laptop chips
- Intel says Core Ultra Series 3 is its first compute platform built on 18A; pre-orders open Jan. 6 and systems go on sale from Jan. 27
- Traders watch Friday’s U.S. payrolls data and late-January earnings for the next catalyst
Intel shares (INTC.O) rose about 1% to $39.77 on Tuesday after the chipmaker launched its Panther Lake laptop chip built on 18A, its next-generation chipmaking process. Panther Lake targets “AI PCs” — laptops designed to run some AI features on the device — and kept the stock just below the $40 mark. Shares traded between $38.99 and $39.93 and ended Monday at $39.37.
Investors have treated 18A as a major milestone because Intel is trying to move more leading-edge production back into its own factories after leaning on outside suppliers for parts of recent designs. Intel is also trying to expand its foundry business — a contract manufacturing arm that makes chips for other companies.
Intel said its Core Ultra Series 3 processors are the first compute platform built on 18A and will power more than 200 PC designs from global partners. Pre-orders open Tuesday and systems go on sale from Jan. 27, the company added; client computing chief Jim Johnson said the team is “laser-focused on improving power efficiency.” ( Intc)
Partners echoed the push. “Windows has always been an open, flexible platform built on choice,” Microsoft Windows president Pavan Davuluri said, as Microsoft and Intel move to broaden Copilot+ PCs, its on-device AI category. ( Intel)
At the CES event in Las Vegas, Intel chief executive Lip-Bu Tan said the company delivered on its promise to ship its first 18A products in 2025, Reuters reported. Intel’s prior Lunar Lake laptop chips were largely made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, and Intel has faced yield issues — the share of usable chips per wafer — as it ramps Panther Lake; the new design also uses a separate graphics chiplet, a small chip packaged with others to make a processor. Rivals used CES to press their own AI bets, with AMD unveiling a multibillion-dollar partnership with OpenAI for its MI400 chips and Nvidia saying its next-generation parts are in full production. ( Reuters)
Wall Street also took cues from analysts. Ben Reitzes at Melius Research raised Intel to “buy” from “hold” and set a $50 price target, writing that “the lasting power of AI for investors is anyone’s guess.” ( Barrons)
Traders also looked ahead to December nonfarm payrolls data due on Friday, a report that can reshape expectations for U.S. interest rates. Chipmakers traded mixed, with Nvidia up about 1.8% and AMD down about 1.3%. ( Investing)
But Intel still has to show the 18A ramp can translate into steady shipments and competitive pricing in a crowded PC market. Any slip in factory yields or weaker laptop demand could revive doubts about its turnaround and its ability to win external foundry customers.
