timothy sykes logo
Intel Stock Jumps As AI Turnaround And SK Hynix Talks Fuel Bull Run Thumbnail

Intel Stock Jumps As AI Turnaround And SK Hynix Talks Fuel Bull Run

BRYCE TUOHEYUPDATED SEP. 17, 2026, 7:48 AM ET
Reviewed by Tim Sykesand Fact-checked by Matt Monaco

Intel Corporation stocks have been trading up by 3.22 percent after bullish sentiment on its next‑gen AI chip roadmap.

Key Takeaways

  • Tigress Financial hiked its Intel price target to $145, calling out a strengthening AI-driven turnaround and better operating leverage confirmed in recent Q2 numbers.
  • Northland upgraded INTC to Outperform with a $120 target, pointing to turnaround progress, server CPU shortages, and Terafab upside with SpaceX and Tesla.
  • High-NA EUV at Intel Foundry has passed one million wafers, with Intel 18A and Panther Lake layers matching or beating prior 0.33 NA EUV performance.
  • A fresh ~10% PC CPU price hike planned for early October has already helped push INTC more than 10% higher as traders bet on better margins.
  • Shares of Intel jumped over 5% on reports of SK Hynix talks to use the Ohio fab for U.S. memory production, expanding the foundry and memory footprint story.

Candlestick Chart

Live Update At 07:47:53 EDT: On Thursday, September 17, 2026 Intel Corporation stock [NASDAQ: INTC] is trending up by 3.22%! Discover the key drivers behind this movement as well as our expert analysis in the detailed breakdown below.

Quick Financial Overview

INTC has been trading like a stock in a full-blown turnaround phase. From late August closes around the high $80s, Intel Corporation has powered into the low $100s, with a recent close near $101.05 on 2026/09/16. That’s a sharp, multi-week uptrend that tells traders money is rotating back into the name.

On the daily chart, pullbacks toward the mid-$90s have been getting bought, with higher lows building since 2026/08/24. The move from a 2026/09/01 close near $88.97 to above $100 shows steady accumulation, not just one squeeze day. Recent intraday action around $103–$104 shows tight 5‑minute ranges, a sign of consolidation after a run, not outright distribution.

Fundamentally, Intel Corporation is still digging out of a hole. Revenue over the last year sits around $52.85B, but profit margins are negative, with net margin near -20% and return on equity also in the red. Yet INTC is throwing off cash: operating cash flow of about $7.01B and free cash flow of roughly $4.45B last quarter give it real firepower to fund fabs and R&D. Debt levels are manageable, current ratio sits at 1.6, and the balance sheet supports the turnaround script traders are chasing.

Why Traders Are Watching INTC Right Now

For active traders, INTC has shifted from “old PC chip laggard” to “high-beta AI and foundry turnaround play.” The news flow explains why the chart suddenly has momentum.

First, the analyst side is lining up behind Intel Corporation. Tigress Financial just raised its INTC price target from $118 to $145 and reiterated a Buy, pinning the call on an AI-driven turnaround. They cite Terafab, improving Xeon demand, and solid 18A execution, plus rising operating leverage that showed up in Q2. That’s not vague AI noise; it’s tied to real execution milestones.

Northland joined in, upgrading Intel from Market Perform to Outperform with a $120 target. They highlight actual turnaround progress, a server CPU shortage that helps pricing, and potential upside from the Terafab partnership with SpaceX and Tesla. When previously cautious shops flip bullish, momentum traders pay attention.

On the technical side, INTC’s foundry story is getting serious backing. Intel Foundry and ASML report that High‑NA EUV is already in high‑volume manufacturing, with more than one million wafers processed. Intel 18A and Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) layers are meeting or beating older 0.33 NA EUV performance. That kind of process win directly attacks the old bear case that Intel Corporation “couldn’t execute” on leading-edge nodes.

Then there is pricing power. Intel plans another roughly 10% PC CPU price hike in early October, and the stock is already up more than 10% on that news alone. Traders see that as a direct margin lever in Intel’s core PC business.

Finally, the SK Hynix headlines are adding fuel. Reports that SK Hynix may lease part of Intel’s future Ohio fab or form a joint venture to make memory chips in the U.S. sent INTC up more than 5%. Even talk of a deal is enough to move the stock, telling traders how sensitive the tape is to anything expanding Intel Corporation’s foundry and memory footprint.

Conclusion

The current INTC setup is a classic case of sentiment turning before the income statement fully recovers. On paper, Intel Corporation still shows negative earnings and weak returns on capital. Yet the market is looking forward: powerful analyst upgrades, High‑NA EUV execution, PC CPU price hikes, and potential SK Hynix memory production in Ohio are all pointing the same direction — higher earnings power down the road.

Side stories reinforce that theme. Intel‑backed Altera is lining up a confidential IPO that could raise more than $2B, a potential value‑unlocking catalyst around Intel’s portfolio. Mobileye, still majority-owned by Intel Corporation, is leading funding for Beep’s autonomous mobility expansion, keeping Intel tied into long‑duration growth themes like self‑driving and smart transport. Schwab clients were net buyers of INTC in August, which shows retail is starting to lean into the turnaround, not run from it.

For traders, that means one thing: respect the trend, but stay disciplined. The stock has run hard, and any stumble in execution, pricing, or foundry deals can hit fast. As Tim Sykes loves to remind traders, “The market doesn’t care about your opinion, only your preparation.” As millionaire penny stock trader and teacher Tim Sykes, says, “Preparation plus patience leads to big profits.”. With INTC, that preparation means tracking the news, watching the levels, and being ready to adapt if the story or the chart breaks.

This is stock news, not investment advice. Timothy Sykes News delivers real-time stock market news focused on key catalysts driving short-term price movements. Our content is tailored for active traders and investors seeking to capitalize on rapid price fluctuations, particularly in volatile sectors like penny stocks. Readers come to us for detailed coverage on earnings reports, mergers, FDA approvals, new contracts, and unusual trading volumes that can trigger significant short-term price action. Some users utilize our news to explain sudden stock movements, while others rely on it for diligent research into potential investment opportunities.

Dive deeper into the world of trading with Timothy Sykes, renowned for his expertise in penny stocks. Explore his top picks and discover the strategies that have propelled him to success with these articles:

Once you’ve got some stocks on watch, elevate your trading game with StocksToTrade the ultimate platform for traders. With specialized tools for swing and day trading, StocksToTrade will guide you through the market’s twists and turns.
Dig into StocksToTrade’s watchlists here:


How much has this post helped you?



Leave a reply

* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”