Equities are up modestly in the final trading session of the week, while crude oil is retreating. Gold and silver are flattish along with Treasuries, while the dollar is down a bit.
Semiconductor stocks have been among the strongest performers in 2026 – and that trend shows no sign of cooling. Yesterday, Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) exploded to the upside thanks to a bullish earnings outlook. Today, Intel Corp. (INTC) is taking flight.
INTC (2-Day Chart)
Source: TradingView
Intel shares soared as much as 31% after the company reported a 7% rise in Q1 sales – and forecast that current-quarter revenue would beat analyst estimates by $800 million to $1.8 billion. Intel is benefitting from data center-related demand for its chips, which are used in AI-training servers. Intel is also partnering with Tesla Inc. (TSLA) on the firm’s Terafab chip plant project in Texas.
Big Tech is investing big money in AI – and laying off workers to compensate. Meta Platforms Inc. (META) said it could slash 10% of its workforce, or 8,000 jobs, soon to boost efficiency amid an AI spending boom. For its part, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is offering voluntary buyouts to pare its workforce. The early retirement program would cover about 7% of its employees, or roughly 8,750 people.
Finally, could Uncle Sam be running a discount airline soon? President Trump said he’s considering bailing out struggling Spirt Aviation Holdings Inc., the parent company of Spirit Airlines.
The federal government may provide up to $500 million in financing in exchange for de facto ownership of 90% of the company. Spirit is struggling from higher jet fuel prices and operational problems, having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice in recent years.
