U.S. Stocks Rise on Friday, Intel Surges Over 10%
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 12 2026
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Should l Buy INTC?
Source: Benzinga
- Market Sentiment Improvement: The CNN Money Fear & Greed Index rose from 47.2 to 50.6, indicating a shift towards neutral sentiment, which may attract more investors and bolster market confidence.
- Employment Data Impact: December nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000, slightly below the expected 60,000, while the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.4%, suggesting potential stabilization in the labor market that could influence future monetary policy.
- Strong Stock Market Performance: The Dow Jones gained approximately 238 points, closing at 49,504.07, while the S&P 500 rose 0.65% to 6,966.28 and the Nasdaq climbed 0.81% to 23,671.35, reflecting investor optimism regarding economic recovery.
- Intel Stock Surge: Following President Trump's meeting with CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Intel's stock jumped over 10%, reaching its highest level since March 2024, indicating strong market confidence in the company's future prospects.
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Analyst Views on INTC
Wall Street analysts forecast INTC stock price to fall
29 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
19 Hold
5 Sell
Hold
Current: 124.920
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
Current: 124.920
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
About INTC
Intel Corporation is a global designer and manufacturer of semiconductor products. The Company's segments include Intel Products, Intel Foundry, and All Other. Its Intel Products comprise Client Computing Group (CCG) and Data Center and AI (DCAI). CCG delivers platforms and processors that power PCs and edge devices, enabling enhanced performance, connectivity and user experience for consumer and commercial markets with capabilities that also support retail, industrial robotics and AI ecosystems at the edge. DCAI delivers workload-optimized solutions based upon its x86 architecture for data centers, including CPUs, AI accelerators, NICs, IPUs and custom ASICs, enabling performance and scalability for cloud, enterprise, telecommunication and HPC environments. The Intel Foundry segment comprises technology development, manufacturing and foundry services, developing new semiconductor process technologies and advanced packaging technologies. All Other segments include Mobileye and Other.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Significant Revenue Growth: eMemory Technology reported a 20% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1 2026, successfully expanding into high-speed interface and AI server CPU applications, indicating strong performance in emerging markets and potential for increased market share.
- Surge in Licensing Revenue: The company experienced a 58.6% year-over-year growth in licensing revenue, driven by robust demand for advanced node technologies and AI-related applications, showcasing its successful transition in technology innovation and market adaptability.
- Strategic Transformation Progress: eMemory is actively transitioning from an IP provider to a system-level security solution provider, collaborating with Intel Foundry to introduce PUF-based IP, addressing U.S. government supply chain security requirements, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the global hardware security upgrade trend.
- Cost Pressure Emerging: Despite strong revenue growth, operating expenses increased by 10.8% year-over-year, which could impact profitability, while a 15.9% decline in 8-inch wafer royalty revenue reflects challenges in this segment, necessitating careful management of future profitability.
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- Consumer Resilience: Amid economic downturns and inflation, companies like Costco, Procter & Gamble, and PepsiCo are viewed as resilient investments that can provide stable returns, enhancing portfolio resilience against market shocks.
- Costco Membership Renewal Rates: In its fiscal Q2 2026 report, Costco reported a global membership renewal rate of 89.7%, with U.S. and Canada rates at 92.1%, indicating strong brand loyalty and potential for further sales growth.
- Strong P&G Earnings: Procter & Gamble's first-quarter revenue of $22.3 billion exceeded expectations of $22.1 billion, with adjusted EPS of $1.99, showcasing stability amid economic uncertainty, while its 69 consecutive years of dividend increases bolster investor confidence.
- PepsiCo's Market Performance: PepsiCo reported Q1 2026 revenue of $19.4 billion, surpassing analyst forecasts, and its 3.7% dividend yield, along with its status as a
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- Sezzle's Strong Performance: Sezzle's subscriber base grew by 48.4% year-over-year in Q1, driving a 29.2% revenue increase and achieving a 37.9% net profit margin, showcasing its competitive edge and market share growth in the rapidly expanding BNPL sector.
- SoFi's Solid Results: Despite SoFi's stock dropping over 15% post-Q1 earnings, the company reported a 43% year-over-year revenue growth and reached 14.7 million members, indicating rapid expansion and improved profitability in the digital banking space.
- Mixed Market Reactions: Sezzle surged over 10% due to strong earnings, while SoFi's stock fell due to unchanged guidance, reflecting market sensitivity to future expectations and investor sentiment fluctuations.
- Optimistic Industry Outlook: Mordor Intelligence projects a 15.3% compound annual growth rate for the fintech industry through 2030, highlighting the long-term growth potential of the sector and attracting investor interest in standout companies.
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- Market Performance: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices both reached all-time highs, rising 0.19% and 0.29% respectively, reflecting strong corporate earnings and optimism around artificial intelligence, although gains were limited by rising oil prices and bond yields.
- Middle East Impact: The failure of the US and Iran to reach a peace agreement led to an increase in global bond yields, with the 10-year T-note yield rising 5 basis points to 4.41%, raising concerns that sustained high energy prices could force central banks to tighten monetary policy.
- Chinese Trade Data: China's April exports rose 14.1% year-on-year, significantly exceeding expectations of 8.4%, while imports increased by 25.3%, indicating positive signals for global economic recovery that could benefit global markets.
- Earnings Reports: As of Monday, 83% of the 450 S&P 500 companies that reported earnings exceeded expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to grow 12% year-on-year, but only 3% when excluding the technology sector, highlighting disparities in profitability across industries.
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- Market Recovery: Tech stocks were broadly higher late Monday afternoon, indicating a gradual restoration of investor confidence in the technology sector, which could lead to increased trading activity in the coming days.
- Investor Sentiment: The rise in tech stocks has significantly improved market sentiment, potentially attracting more capital into the sector and enhancing overall market performance.
- Sector Performance: The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF demonstrated a strong market response, suggesting that investors are optimistic about the future growth potential of technology companies.
- Potential Impact: The increase in tech stocks may not only stimulate share prices of related companies but also influence investment decisions across other sectors, further driving the overall market recovery.
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- Chip Stocks Rally: Chip leaders like Nvidia and Intel continue their upward momentum in an AI-driven market, supporting gains for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq despite ongoing concerns about global oil supply disruptions.
- Analyst Upgrades Boost Qualcomm: Qualcomm surged following an analyst upgrade, reflecting strong market expectations for AI memory demand, with analysts discussing a potential supercycle in the sector that enhances investor confidence.
- Biotech Stocks Surge: Moderna jumped in early trading as investors express optimism about its early hantavirus research, with the stock gaining over 15% in the past five days, highlighting market interest in biotech innovation.
- Oil Price Surge Affects Markets: Oil prices rose nearly 3% by midday, with WTI crude trading at $98 a barrel, amid heightened concerns over stalled U.S.-Iran negotiations, as analysts stress the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
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