Major Averages Slightly Lower as Investors Track Middle East Tensions
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 21 2026
0mins
The major averages are marginally lower near noon as investors continue to track Middle East tensions ahead of a ceasefire deadline. Sentiment has been supported by hopes around potential Iran-related talks despite uncertainty over the conflict's next phase. Meanwhile, oil was higher once again, though the price remains below $100 per barrel.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Applesaid that John Ternus willof the company, with Tim Cook transitioning to executive chairmanAmazonannounced an additionalUnitedHealthprovided areport for Q1GE Aerospacereportedand reiterated its FY26 guidance3Mreportedand reiterated its FY26 outlook2. WALL STREET CALLS:HSBCIntelto Buy on server CPU shipment growthKeyBancCrowdStriketo Overweight on AI tailwindsExxon Mobilto Peer Perform at Wolfe ResearchGraphic Packagingto Underperform at Raymond JamesNorthcoastCava Groupat Sell on "lofty' valuation3. AROUND THE WEB:Magnum Ice Cream'sshort interest in Europe has increased to 19% of shares available for trading, Bloomberg reportsMatch GroupCEO Spencer Rascoff's "primary focus" is winning over women, hoping this will arrest years of falling numbers and turn around Tinder's trajectory, FT saysA U.S. jury has found Uberliable for a sexual assault by a driver in 2019, handing Uber a second consecutive defeat in its first trials of more than 3,000 pending lawsuits, NY Times saysSalesforceCEO Marc Benioff dismissed the idea of vibe coded CRM replacing SaaS companies, saying data security and compliance make Salesforce indispensable, WSJ reportsDozens of allegations of customer financial fraud by former employees of Gibraltar Life Insurance, a Prudential Groupsubsidiary, have surfaced, Nikkei Asia reports4. MOVERS:Velo3Dhigher after announcing it willas an official sponsor and additive manufacturing technology provider for two 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge eventsVaalco Energyincreases after providingfrom its Gabon drilling program and well results from its Etame 14H wellLucidgains after Uberin the companyHycroft Miningfalls after engaging with an engineering firm toAXT Inc. (AXTI) lower after announcing an5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Genuine Partsand reaffirmed its guidance for FY26RTX, with CEO Chris Calio commenting, "RTX delivered a very strong start to 2026"Quest Diagnosticsand raised its guidance for FY26D.R. Hortonand narrowed its guidance for FY26, with CEO David Auld commenting, "The D.R. Horton team delivered a solid second quarter"Synchrony, with EPS beating consensusINDEXES:Near midday, the Dow was down 0.18%, or 86.83, to 49,355.73, the Nasdaq was down 0.18%, or 42.93, to 24,361.47, and the S&P 500 was down 0.27%, or 18.95, to 7,090.19.
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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: 111.780
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
Current: 111.780
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.
Intel's Stock Soars 453% Amid Foundry Developments
- Government Support Boost: The U.S. government's announcement of an $8.9 billion equity investment to support the domestic semiconductor supply chain has enhanced Intel's market credibility, driving its stock price up 453% over the past 12 months.
- Customer Collaboration Potential: Intel is in discussions with Amazon and Alphabet to provide advanced chip packaging services and has reportedly struck a preliminary deal with Apple, which could significantly elevate Intel Foundry's market position if successful.
- Financial Challenges Emerge: Despite generating $5.4 billion in revenue for its foundry business in Q1 2026, Intel reported an operating loss of $2.4 billion, highlighting severe challenges in achieving profitability.
- Market Valuation Risks: Intel's enterprise value has surged to $568 billion, with an EBITDA multiple of 42, significantly higher than industry leader TSMC's 24, suggesting that market expectations for Intel's future growth may be overly optimistic.
See More
Investor Education and Market Dynamics
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- Nvidia's Dividend Surge: Nvidia increased its quarterly dividend from $0.01 to $0.25 per share, representing a 25-fold return for shareholders, a move that not only boosts investor confidence but also reflects the company's robust profitability and cash flow.
- Market Performance Review: Over the past decade, the Motley Fool's Stock Advisor team has achieved an average return of 941%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 211%, demonstrating the effectiveness of a long-term strategy focused on holding quality stocks.
- Social Media Engagement: David Gardner interacts with listeners on social media, sharing investment experiences and market insights, which enhances community cohesion among investors and encourages more individuals to engage in investing.
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GitLab Reports Strong Revenue Growth Amid Workforce Cuts
- Significant Revenue Growth: GitLab reported a 23% year-over-year increase in fiscal Q1 revenue, reaching $264.2 million, exceeding the guidance of $253 million to $255 million, indicating strong growth within its customer base.
- Strong Customer Expansion: The company achieved a 30% growth in new customer acquisition, with a dollar-based net retention rate of 117%, demonstrating solid revenue growth from existing customers, particularly in the enterprise segment.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: GitLab raised its fiscal 2027 revenue guidance to between $1.112 billion and $1.118 billion, projecting a growth rate of 16% to 17%, while also increasing its adjusted EPS forecast, reflecting management's confidence in future performance.
- Organizational Restructuring: The company announced a 14% workforce reduction and exit from 22 countries, yet plans to increase the number of sales representatives, expecting a positive impact on sales performance in the second half of the year, indicating a strategic focus on operational efficiency while expanding market reach.
See More
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- Market Performance Analysis: As of June 2, the total cryptocurrency market cap stands at $2.5 trillion, having fallen nearly 30% from last year's peak of $4.3 trillion, indicating significant market volatility and uncertainty, although history suggests a potential for price recovery.
- Growth Potential of Solana: With a market cap of approximately $46 billion, representing about 20% of Ethereum's, Solana has surged over 160% since June 2021, demonstrating its strong survival capabilities and growth potential in a competitive landscape.
- Technological Advantages and Use Cases: Solana's near-instant transaction settlement and minimal fees position it as a formidable competitor to traditional payment processors, making it ideal for high-volume applications like payments and AI agents, further driving the expansion of its ecosystem.
- Stablecoin Partnerships and Market Position: Solana has established multiple stablecoin partnerships with traditional financial firms, such as Western Union building its stablecoin on Solana, which not only strengthens its market position but also lays the groundwork for future mainstream adoption.
See More
Nvidia Slips Below $5 Trillion; Competitors Eye Market Value
- Nvidia's Market Dynamics: Nvidia became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market cap by late 2025, but after a recent pullback, it now sits just below that level, maintaining its position as the most valuable company globally, reflecting its strong leadership in the AI sector.
- Alphabet's Growth Momentum: Alphabet's market cap recently fell to $4.45 trillion after a stock market pullback, yet its first-quarter cloud revenue surged 63% year-over-year to $20 billion, indicating robust growth potential in the AI market.
- Microsoft's Challenge: With a market cap of around $3.1 trillion, Microsoft reported an 18% revenue increase to $82.9 billion in its third quarter, and its AI business reached a $37 billion annual revenue run rate, but catching Nvidia will require higher investor valuations and sustained cloud growth.
- Apple's Competitive Edge: Apple, valued at over $4.5 trillion, benefits from a vast installed base of over 2.5 billion active devices and strong iPhone demand, particularly with the upcoming new iPhone model and the overhaul of its AI assistant Siri, suggesting significant future growth potential.
See More
Stock Market Plummets as Tech Stocks Take a Hit
- Market Turmoil: The stock market faced a massive sell-off on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropping 2.6% and 4.2%, respectively, breaking a nine-week winning streak and indicating investor anxiety over the Federal Reserve's interest rate policies.
- Tech Stock Struggles: Broadcom's stock plummeted 12.6% post-earnings, failing to meet high market expectations, which undermined investor confidence and exacerbated the overall decline in tech stocks.
- IPO Surge: SpaceX plans to issue 555.6 million shares at $135 each, raising approximately $75 billion and achieving a market value of $1.8 trillion, highlighting strong demand for high-tech companies but raising concerns about market oversupply.
- Investor Sentiment Dips: Following Alphabet's announcement of an $85 billion stock sale to fund AI investments, the market reacted negatively, with Meta Platforms also dropping over 6% due to potential dilution fears, reflecting investor apprehension about equity dilution.
See More
Intel's Stock Soars 453% Amid Foundry Developments
- Government Support Boost: The U.S. government's announcement of an $8.9 billion equity investment to support the domestic semiconductor supply chain has enhanced Intel's market credibility, driving its stock price up 453% over the past 12 months.
- Customer Collaboration Potential: Intel is in discussions with Amazon and Alphabet to provide advanced chip packaging services and has reportedly struck a preliminary deal with Apple, which could significantly elevate Intel Foundry's market position if successful.
- Financial Challenges Emerge: Despite generating $5.4 billion in revenue for its foundry business in Q1 2026, Intel reported an operating loss of $2.4 billion, highlighting severe challenges in achieving profitability.
- Market Valuation Risks: Intel's enterprise value has surged to $568 billion, with an EBITDA multiple of 42, significantly higher than industry leader TSMC's 24, suggesting that market expectations for Intel's future growth may be overly optimistic.
See More
Investor Education and Market Dynamics
- Importance of Investor Education: At Kopachuck Middle School in Gig Harbor, Washington, Mr. Ernst's personal finance class is equipping students with essential investment knowledge, fostering financial literacy that will empower them to make informed decisions in complex markets in the future.
- Nvidia's Dividend Surge: Nvidia increased its quarterly dividend from $0.01 to $0.25 per share, representing a 25-fold return for shareholders, a move that not only boosts investor confidence but also reflects the company's robust profitability and cash flow.
- Market Performance Review: Over the past decade, the Motley Fool's Stock Advisor team has achieved an average return of 941%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 211%, demonstrating the effectiveness of a long-term strategy focused on holding quality stocks.
- Social Media Engagement: David Gardner interacts with listeners on social media, sharing investment experiences and market insights, which enhances community cohesion among investors and encourages more individuals to engage in investing.
See More
GitLab Reports Strong Revenue Growth Amid Workforce Cuts
- Significant Revenue Growth: GitLab reported a 23% year-over-year increase in fiscal Q1 revenue, reaching $264.2 million, exceeding the guidance of $253 million to $255 million, indicating strong growth within its customer base.
- Strong Customer Expansion: The company achieved a 30% growth in new customer acquisition, with a dollar-based net retention rate of 117%, demonstrating solid revenue growth from existing customers, particularly in the enterprise segment.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: GitLab raised its fiscal 2027 revenue guidance to between $1.112 billion and $1.118 billion, projecting a growth rate of 16% to 17%, while also increasing its adjusted EPS forecast, reflecting management's confidence in future performance.
- Organizational Restructuring: The company announced a 14% workforce reduction and exit from 22 countries, yet plans to increase the number of sales representatives, expecting a positive impact on sales performance in the second half of the year, indicating a strategic focus on operational efficiency while expanding market reach.
See More
Solana: The Next Potential Star of the Crypto Bull Run
- Market Performance Analysis: As of June 2, the total cryptocurrency market cap stands at $2.5 trillion, having fallen nearly 30% from last year's peak of $4.3 trillion, indicating significant market volatility and uncertainty, although history suggests a potential for price recovery.
- Growth Potential of Solana: With a market cap of approximately $46 billion, representing about 20% of Ethereum's, Solana has surged over 160% since June 2021, demonstrating its strong survival capabilities and growth potential in a competitive landscape.
- Technological Advantages and Use Cases: Solana's near-instant transaction settlement and minimal fees position it as a formidable competitor to traditional payment processors, making it ideal for high-volume applications like payments and AI agents, further driving the expansion of its ecosystem.
- Stablecoin Partnerships and Market Position: Solana has established multiple stablecoin partnerships with traditional financial firms, such as Western Union building its stablecoin on Solana, which not only strengthens its market position but also lays the groundwork for future mainstream adoption.
See More
Nvidia Slips Below $5 Trillion; Competitors Eye Market Value
- Nvidia's Market Dynamics: Nvidia became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market cap by late 2025, but after a recent pullback, it now sits just below that level, maintaining its position as the most valuable company globally, reflecting its strong leadership in the AI sector.
- Alphabet's Growth Momentum: Alphabet's market cap recently fell to $4.45 trillion after a stock market pullback, yet its first-quarter cloud revenue surged 63% year-over-year to $20 billion, indicating robust growth potential in the AI market.
- Microsoft's Challenge: With a market cap of around $3.1 trillion, Microsoft reported an 18% revenue increase to $82.9 billion in its third quarter, and its AI business reached a $37 billion annual revenue run rate, but catching Nvidia will require higher investor valuations and sustained cloud growth.
- Apple's Competitive Edge: Apple, valued at over $4.5 trillion, benefits from a vast installed base of over 2.5 billion active devices and strong iPhone demand, particularly with the upcoming new iPhone model and the overhaul of its AI assistant Siri, suggesting significant future growth potential.
See More
Stock Market Plummets as Tech Stocks Take a Hit
- Market Turmoil: The stock market faced a massive sell-off on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropping 2.6% and 4.2%, respectively, breaking a nine-week winning streak and indicating investor anxiety over the Federal Reserve's interest rate policies.
- Tech Stock Struggles: Broadcom's stock plummeted 12.6% post-earnings, failing to meet high market expectations, which undermined investor confidence and exacerbated the overall decline in tech stocks.
- IPO Surge: SpaceX plans to issue 555.6 million shares at $135 each, raising approximately $75 billion and achieving a market value of $1.8 trillion, highlighting strong demand for high-tech companies but raising concerns about market oversupply.
- Investor Sentiment Dips: Following Alphabet's announcement of an $85 billion stock sale to fund AI investments, the market reacted negatively, with Meta Platforms also dropping over 6% due to potential dilution fears, reflecting investor apprehension about equity dilution.
See More
