U.S. Stock Futures Quiet as S&P 500 Nears Record
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 24 2025
0mins
Should l Buy INTC?
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.
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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: 65.700
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
Current: 65.700
Low
20.00
Averages
39.30
High
52.00
About INTC
Intel Corporation is a global designer and manufacturer of semiconductor products. The Company operates through three segments: Intel Products, Intel Foundry, and All Other. Its Intel Products segment includes Client Computing Group (CCG), Data Center and AI (DCAI), Network and Edge (NEX). The CCG is bringing together the operating system, system architecture, hardware, and software application integration to enable PC experiences. DCAI delivers workload-optimized solutions to cloud service providers and enterprises, along with silicon devices for communications service providers, network and edge, and HPC customers. NEX helps networks and edge compute systems from fixed-function hardware to general-purpose compute, acceleration, and networking devices running cloud native software on programmable hardware. The Intel Foundry segment comprises technology development, manufacturing and foundry services. All Other segments include Altera, Mobileye, 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 Gains from Rising AI CPU Demand, Morgan Stanley Prefers Memory Stocks
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- Morgan Stanley's Investment Preference: Morgan Stanley believes that while Intel and AMD play crucial roles in AI-driven CPU demand, they favor U.S. memory stocks, particularly Micron (MU) and Sandisk (SNDK), indicating a more optimistic outlook on memory demand.
- Intel Price Target Increase: Morgan Stanley raised Intel's price target from $41 to $56 and boosted its 2027 EPS estimate from $0.97 to $1.34, surpassing the market consensus of $1.03, reflecting analysts' confidence in its future profitability.
- Earnings Expectations and Stock Performance: Intel is set to report Q1 results on April 23, with expectations of $0.01 EPS on $12.42 billion in revenue, and shares have already climbed over 60% since the last earnings release, indicating growing market optimism about its recovery.
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- Positive Market Reaction: Following the afternoon stock prices on April 16, 2026, Intel's shares rose by 3.90%, indicating investor optimism regarding the company's future growth potential and bolstering market confidence.
- Enhanced Manufacturing Capacity: These investments will enable Intel to expand its semiconductor production capabilities to meet the increasing market demand, particularly in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, ensuring its leadership position at the forefront of technology.
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- Market Valuation Appeal: The S&P 500's current P/E ratio of 20.8 is near its lowest in a year, indicating that U.S. stocks are more attractive compared to the 22 times earnings at the start of 2026, drawing investors seeking opportunities amid uncertainty.
- Rising Energy Price Concerns: Approximately two-thirds of S&P 500 companies have expressed concerns about energy prices in their earnings calls since April, a significant increase from 17% in the January-March period, highlighting the potential economic impact of high oil prices.
- Cautious Corporate Outlook: GE Aerospace's CEO indicated that the company could have raised its forecast if not for current uncertainties, reflecting concerns in the airline industry about maintenance and spending cuts, which led to a 6% drop in GE's stock price.
- AI Expectations Driving Market: Despite risks from high energy prices, analysts have raised their earnings growth expectations for 2026 from 16% in January to nearly 20%, primarily driven by technology companies, showcasing optimism surrounding artificial intelligence.
See More
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- Intel's Stock Performance: Intel's stock has surged approximately 248% over the past year, significantly outperforming Taiwan Semiconductor's 149% and Nvidia's 106% gains, indicating a potential shift in leadership within the AI chip market.
- Capacity Expansion Signals: Intel has ramped up chipmaking equipment orders by over 50% year-over-year at the start of 2026, with its 18A process node entering high-volume production at around 10,000 wafer starts per week, signaling an acceleration in capacity buildout.
- TSMC's Strategic Investment: Taiwan Semiconductor's investment plans in the U.S. have increased from $65 billion to $165 billion, with plans to build six new fabs, highlighting its critical role and competitive strength in the AI expansion.
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See More
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- Tech Sector Resilience: Despite rising tensions in the Middle East, the technology sector continued to rise, with the State Street Technology ETF and iShares Semiconductor ETF marking their 15th consecutive day of gains, indicating a potential decoupling of tech stocks from the broader market.
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See More
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See More
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- AI Demand Boosts CPU Market: With rising AI demand, Intel (INTC) and AMD (AMD) are positioned as key beneficiaries, particularly in the server segment, which is expected to significantly enhance their market performance, although the broader investment narrative has not fully centered around this segment.
- Morgan Stanley's Investment Preference: Morgan Stanley believes that while Intel and AMD play crucial roles in AI-driven CPU demand, they favor U.S. memory stocks, particularly Micron (MU) and Sandisk (SNDK), indicating a more optimistic outlook on memory demand.
- Intel Price Target Increase: Morgan Stanley raised Intel's price target from $41 to $56 and boosted its 2027 EPS estimate from $0.97 to $1.34, surpassing the market consensus of $1.03, reflecting analysts' confidence in its future profitability.
- Earnings Expectations and Stock Performance: Intel is set to report Q1 results on April 23, with expectations of $0.01 EPS on $12.42 billion in revenue, and shares have already climbed over 60% since the last earnings release, indicating growing market optimism about its recovery.
See More
Intel Set to Benefit from Billions in Manufacturing Investments
- Massive Investment: Intel is set to invest tens of billions in its manufacturing capabilities, a move that is expected to significantly enhance production efficiency and market competitiveness, ultimately leading to substantial returns for the company.
- Positive Market Reaction: Following the afternoon stock prices on April 16, 2026, Intel's shares rose by 3.90%, indicating investor optimism regarding the company's future growth potential and bolstering market confidence.
- Enhanced Manufacturing Capacity: These investments will enable Intel to expand its semiconductor production capabilities to meet the increasing market demand, particularly in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, ensuring its leadership position at the forefront of technology.
- Strategic Implications: This investment represents not only an upgrade to existing facilities but also lays the groundwork for Intel's long-term competitiveness in the global semiconductor market, positioning the company favorably in future technological contests.
See More
Wall Street Hits Record Highs Amid Iran Conflict Risks
- Market Valuation Appeal: The S&P 500's current P/E ratio of 20.8 is near its lowest in a year, indicating that U.S. stocks are more attractive compared to the 22 times earnings at the start of 2026, drawing investors seeking opportunities amid uncertainty.
- Rising Energy Price Concerns: Approximately two-thirds of S&P 500 companies have expressed concerns about energy prices in their earnings calls since April, a significant increase from 17% in the January-March period, highlighting the potential economic impact of high oil prices.
- Cautious Corporate Outlook: GE Aerospace's CEO indicated that the company could have raised its forecast if not for current uncertainties, reflecting concerns in the airline industry about maintenance and spending cuts, which led to a 6% drop in GE's stock price.
- AI Expectations Driving Market: Despite risks from high energy prices, analysts have raised their earnings growth expectations for 2026 from 16% in January to nearly 20%, primarily driven by technology companies, showcasing optimism surrounding artificial intelligence.
See More
Intel's Stock Surges 248%, Signaling Evolution in AI Ecosystem
- Intel's Stock Performance: Intel's stock has surged approximately 248% over the past year, significantly outperforming Taiwan Semiconductor's 149% and Nvidia's 106% gains, indicating a potential shift in leadership within the AI chip market.
- Capacity Expansion Signals: Intel has ramped up chipmaking equipment orders by over 50% year-over-year at the start of 2026, with its 18A process node entering high-volume production at around 10,000 wafer starts per week, signaling an acceleration in capacity buildout.
- TSMC's Strategic Investment: Taiwan Semiconductor's investment plans in the U.S. have increased from $65 billion to $165 billion, with plans to build six new fabs, highlighting its critical role and competitive strength in the AI expansion.
- Nvidia and Intel Partnership: Nvidia made a $5 billion strategic investment in Intel in early 2026, indicating a diversification strategy in its supply chain, which could reshape future market dynamics despite not currently manufacturing GPUs with Intel.
See More
Tech Stocks Rise Amid Market Decline as AI Boom Resurfaces
- Market Pullback: Major indexes fell for the second consecutive day as negotiations between Iran and the U.S. did not proceed as scheduled, reminding investors that the Iran war situation remains unresolved, making further stock market gains challenging.
- Tech Sector Resilience: Despite rising tensions in the Middle East, the technology sector continued to rise, with the State Street Technology ETF and iShares Semiconductor ETF marking their 15th consecutive day of gains, indicating a potential decoupling of tech stocks from the broader market.
- AI Investment Resurgence: As concerns over the Iran war fade, the AI investment landscape is revitalizing, with Anthropic's powerful AI model and SpaceX's $60 billion deal to acquire Cursor signaling that the AI boom is alive, likely channeling tens of billions into chip stocks.
- Chip Industry Developments: Intel's participation in the Terafab Project aims for 1 terawatt of computing power annually, while Broadcom signed a long-term deal with Google, and Nvidia announced its first open-source quantum AI model, showcasing positive momentum in the chip sector that could drive stock prices higher.
See More
Tech ETFs Record 15 Straight Days of Gains Amid Market Tensions
- Strong Performance of Tech ETFs: The State Street Technology ETF and iShares Semiconductor ETF have recorded 15 consecutive days of gains since March 31, indicating a potential decoupling of the tech sector from the broader market amidst ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
- Positive Developments in AI Sector: As concerns over the Iran war fade, investments in the AI sector are rebounding, highlighted by Anthropic's powerful AI model and SpaceX's $60 billion deal to acquire Cursor, signaling that the AI boom remains robust and is likely to drive growth in chip stocks like Nvidia.
- Deepening Collaborations in Chip Industry: Intel's participation in the Terafab project aims to produce 1 terawatt of computing power annually in partnership with SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla, while Broadcom has signed a long-term agreement with Google, further solidifying strategic collaborations within the chip industry.
- High Market Valuations: Despite the high price-to-earnings ratios of tech stocks, with the State Street Tech Sector ETF at 37 and SOXX at 47, the ongoing AI boom could propel these stocks higher, especially with the upcoming earnings season expected to reveal strong results.
See More
