U.S. Stock Futures Quiet as S&P 500 Nears Record
Stock index futures were quiet in early pre-market trading ahead of a similarly muted holiday shortened session. U.S. stock markets closed at 1 pm ET and bond markets close at 2 pm ET.The S&P 500 index managed to hold near a record following the thin holiday trading as investors parsed labor market data for additional clues on the Federal Reserve's interest rate path. The move in the benchmark index follows four-straight sessions of gains. The Dow also gained, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index closed little changed.Initial jobless claims fell to 214,000 for the week ended December 20, which was below expectations, and continuing jobless claims rose 38,000 to 1.92M in the latest survey.On the commodities front, gold prices climbed to another record, above $4,500 an ounce, while silver and platinum prices also hit records and copper heads for a 40% annual gain.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with this market wrap Fly By.STOCK NEWS:Intelshares slid afterthat Nvidiarecently tested out whether it would manufacture its chips using Intel's 18A production process, but stopped moving forwardSanofiagreed toof Dynavax Technologiesfor $15.50 per share in cash, reflecting a total equity value of $2.2BBPreached ana 65% shareholding in Castrol to Stonepeak, at an enterprise value of $10.1B, resulting in total net proceeds of $6BWALL STREET CALLS:NorthcoastCostcoto Buy with a $1,100 price targetRaymond JamesKB Hometo Market Perform following the company's "disappointing" Q4 reportComstock Inc.to Market Perform at Noble CapitalSpire Globalto Neutral from Buy at Alliance Global3. AROUND THE WEB:Ares Managementis open to buying a private equity firm in an attempt to bolster its leveraged buyout business,Bitcoin mining companies like Core Scientific, Cipher Mining, Iren, and CleanSparkhave transitioned to artificial intelligence data centers,Hondawill acquire LG Energy Solution's facilities and other assets from their joint battery plant in Ohio for approximately $2.9B,A federal judge has blocked a Texas law requiring companies that run mobile app stores, like Appleand Google, to verify ages of users,4. MOVERS:Agios Pharmaceuticalsincreased after thein anemia patientsEdgewise Therapeuticsgained afterfrom its Phase 2 EDG-7500 trialUiPathclosed higher after beingin the S&P 400 at the open on January 1, 2026Tesla (TSLA) fell afterthe NHTSA has opened a probe into the Model 3 vehicle over door release controlsBrandywine Realtyclosed lower after being picked toon the S&P 600INDEXES:The Dow rose 288.75, or 0.60%, to 48,731.16, the Nasdaq gained 51.46, or 0.22%, to 23,613.31, and the S&P 500 advanced 22.26, or 0.32%, to 6,932.05.
Discover Tomorrow's Bullish Stocks Today
Analyst Views on INTC
About INTC
About the author
Intel Shares Drop After Weak Earnings Guidance
- Weak Earnings Report: Intel's Q4 revenue fell 4% year-over-year from $14.3 billion to $13.7 billion, indicating ongoing struggles with revenue growth and gross margins, which may impact investor confidence.
- Divergent Product Revenue: Client Computing Group (CCG) product revenue dropped 7% to $8.2 billion, while Data Center and AI (DCAI) product revenue rose 9% to $4.7 billion, reflecting performance disparities across different business lines.
- Margin Pressure: The company's gross margin decreased from 39.2% to 36.1%, with adjusted gross margins falling to 37.9%, highlighting challenges in cost control that could affect future profitability.
- Cautious Outlook: Intel projects Q1 revenue between $11.7 billion and $12.7 billion with breakeven adjusted EPS, falling short of analyst expectations, indicating supply constraints and competitive pressures in the market.
Intel's Q4 Results Exceed Expectations but Guidance Falls Short
- Strong Performance: Intel reported non-GAAP adjusted earnings of $0.15 per share and sales of $13.7 billion in Q4, surpassing market expectations of $0.08 earnings and $13.4 billion sales, demonstrating resilience in a competitive landscape.
- Guidance Falls Short: Despite a strong Q4, Intel's Q1 sales guidance of $11.7 to $12.7 billion, with a midpoint below the $12.51 billion analyst estimate, reflects challenges in production transitions that may impact future performance.
- AI and Data Center Growth: Intel's data center and AI segment saw an 8.9% year-over-year sales increase to $4.7 billion, exceeding the $4.43 billion analyst forecast, indicating potential in emerging markets, although supply issues limited higher sales.
- Severe Foundry Losses: Intel's foundry business posted a $10.3 billion operating loss last year, and while Q1 revenue is expected to rise sequentially, low adoption rates among third-party customers suggest a lack of market confidence in this segment.
