Intel Stock Hits Four-Year High as AI Bet Drives 47% Year-to-Date Gain

Intel's stock surged 47% year-to-date through January 21, driven by optimism around its AI strategy and manufacturing revival. The chipmaker's shares jumped 11.7% on Wednesday to $54.25, marking their highest close since January 2022, fueled by a major defense contract win with the Missile Defense Agency. The company’s client computing group is projected to report revenue of $8.4 billion, while its data center and AI segment is expected to generate $4.4 billion. Analysts note that although the stock has already priced in strong expectations, server CPU demand may support fourth-quarter results. However, concerns remain over declining market share in servers and weak PC demand. Investors will closely monitor the company's upcoming earnings release for signs of progress on its 18A manufacturing process and potential partnerships with major clients like Apple.