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Intel’s Results to Reveal If Multibillion-Dollar Rescue Plan Is Working

All eyes are on Intel’s third-quarter earnings report this Thursday, as investors look for signs that a wave of multibillion-dollar investments from Nvidia, SoftBank, and the U.S. government is stabilizing the struggling chipmaker under its new CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

The fresh funding has lifted Intel’s shares nearly 100% this year, outperforming even AI titan Nvidia, though expectations are high. Analysts expect a 1% drop in quarterly revenue to $13.14 billion, according to LSEG data, and a per-share loss of $0.22. Shares fell 4.5% on Wednesday, ahead of the results.

Investors are eager for clarity on whether the cash infusions are enough to revive Intel’s finances after years of costly manufacturing missteps under former CEO Pat Gelsinger. “The big question is: what does Intel’s big picture look like now, and what does their cash position look like?” said Joe Tigay, portfolio manager at Rational Equity Armor Fund.

The deals have handed Intel a crucial cash lifeline:
Nvidia invested $5 billion, acquiring about a 4% stake.
SoftBank added another $2 billion.
– The U.S. government took a 10% stake worth $8.9 billion, after tensions over Tan’s China ties sparked political backlash.

While these moves strengthen liquidity, they also dilute Intel’s earnings per share, analysts warn. “Share dilution is the least of Intel shareholders’ worries,” said Ryuta Makino of Gabelli Funds, noting that investors are focused on the company’s long-term strategy.

Despite new funding, Intel continues to lose ground to AMD and Arm-based rivals in CPUs, while remaining a minor player in the AI chip market dominated by Nvidia. However, the company is seeing renewed strength in PCs, with shipments rising 8% globally, and its PC division revenue expected to jump 11% to $8.12 billion.

Intel’s Panther Lake processor, built on its new 18A manufacturing node, is expected to begin shipping by late 2025 — a key test for Tan’s revised strategy, which scaled back Gelsinger’s aggressive factory expansion.

Revenue in Intel’s data center unit is projected to grow 18% to $3.95 billion, fueled by booming demand for server CPUs that pair with AI GPUs. The manufacturing segment, however, is expected to stay flat at $4.37 billion.

“The markets are giving Intel a lot of patience,” said Tigay. “These investments buy them time — but soon, the products will need to speak for themselves.”

Taiwan’s September Export Orders Surge 30.5% on Soaring Global AI Demand

Taiwan’s export orders surged far beyond expectations in September, climbing 30.5% year-on-year to $70.22 billion, as booming global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technology continued to drive growth. It marked the eighth consecutive monthly increase, reaffirming Taiwan’s central role in the global semiconductor and tech supply chain.

The results, released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, easily beat analysts’ forecasts of a 17.8% gain. The ministry credited the island’s expanding importance in AI and high-performance computing, sectors anchored by leading chipmakers such as TSMC, the world’s largest contract semiconductor manufacturer.

While global trade uncertainties and newly imposed 20% U.S. tariffs have weighed on outlooks, Taiwan’s government said the measure is temporary as negotiations continue with Washington for more favorable trade terms. The ministry expects momentum to remain strong through the fourth-quarter holiday season, traditionally a peak period for electronics and consumer technology exports.

Orders for electronic products jumped 45.9%, while telecommunications equipment rose 33.1%. By region, orders from the United States soared 40.2%, China climbed 11.6% after a brief decline in August, Europe gained 16.9%, and Japan increased 22.8%.

The ministry projected export orders for October to rise between 23.7% and 27.3%, adding that total full-year export value could reach a record high if AI-related demand remains strong.

TSMC lifts full-year revenue forecast on soaring AI demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) raised its full-year revenue forecast on Thursday, signaling confidence in the ongoing AI megatrend after posting record quarterly profits that beat expectations.

The world’s largest contract chipmaker now expects mid-30% revenue growth in 2025, up from its previous forecast of around 30%. The company cited booming demand for AI chips, which continues to exceed earlier projections.

“AI demand actually continues to be very strong — stronger than we thought three months ago,” CEO C.C. Wei told investors. “We are also receiving very strong signals from our customers requesting capacity to support their business.”

TSMC reported a 39.1% rise in third-quarter net profit to T$452.3 billion ($14.76 billion), surpassing analysts’ estimates of T$417.7 billion, according to LSEG SmartEstimate data. The company said it remains “prudent” in planning for 2026 amid global trade uncertainty.

The Taiwanese chipmaker supplies giants such as Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom, all of whom are expanding their investments in AI-driven data centers. Recent multi-billion-dollar partnerships between OpenAI, chipmakers, and infrastructure providers have reinforced expectations of sustained semiconductor demand.

Despite trade tensions and U.S. tariffs, Wei said he remained optimistic: “Even if the China market was not available, AI’s growth will still be very dramatic.”

TSMC’s shares have risen 38% in 2025, outpacing Taiwan’s broader market, reflecting investor confidence that the company remains central to the global AI hardware boom.