Intel stock (INTC): what moves it and how to read its chart
Intel is one of the few chip companies that designs its chips and builds them in its own factories. That makes INTC a turnaround story, and turnaround stories move on news.
This page explains how the stock tends to move. It isn't a recommendation to buy or sell it.
At a glance
| Item | Intel (INTC) |
|---|---|
| What it is | A US chip company that designs processors for PCs and servers, and runs its own chip factories |
| Where it trades | Nasdaq, ticker INTC |
| Indexes it's in | S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100. It left the Dow in November 2024, when Nvidia took its place |
| Earnings | 4 times a year, after the close, usually late January, April, July and October |
| What moves it most | Earnings and guidance, factory progress, big partner deals, US government news |
| How it tends to move | Often in big jumps on news. Quiet weeks can end with one large gap |
| Regular hours | 9:30 am–4:00 pm ET, plus pre-market and after-hours sessions |
What the company does
Intel makes the main chips (CPUs) inside many laptops, desktops and data-center servers. It has done that for decades.
It also runs a factory business called Intel Foundry. The plan is to build chips for other companies too, not just for itself. Factories cost a huge amount and take years to pay off. That is the heart of the Intel story.
What moves it
- Earnings and guidance. The Earnings report shows sales, profit margins and cash. The Guidance (what Intel expects next quarter) often matters more than the past.
- Factory news. Progress on new chip-making steps, and whether outside customers sign up, can move the stock on a day with no earnings at all.
- Big deals. In August 2025 the US government took a stake of about 10%, mostly by turning promised grant money into shares. In September 2025 Nvidia agreed to invest $5 billion and work with Intel on chips. News like this can gap the stock.
- The PC and server cycle. When companies and people buy fewer computers, Intel feels it.
- Rivals. Reports from AMD, Nvidia and the big Asian chip factories can move INTC in sympathy.
Intel stopped paying a Dividend in late 2024 to save cash. It said a dividend could return once cash flow improves. As of October 2026 it has not returned.
When it's busiest
- 9:30–10:30 am ET: the open. Overnight headlines get priced in fast.
- 3:00–4:00 pm ET: the close, when funds adjust positions.
- Earnings night: results come out after 4:00 pm ET. After-hours trading is thinner, so prices can jump.
US stock hours stay 9:30 am–4:00 pm ET all year. Pre-market and after-hours times depend on your broker. See pre-market and after-hours.
Its personality
- News first, chart second. Deal headlines and policy news have caused many of its biggest moves.
- Long quiet stretches. It can drift in a range for weeks, then break out of it on one report.
- Sympathy moves. A big day for the chip sector often drags INTC along, even with no Intel news.
- Heavy trading. Lots of shares change hands most days, so prices are close together in regular hours.
Reading it with our method
Start on the daily chart. Mark the last places price turned around. Are the highs and lows stepping up, stepping down, or going sideways? For a news-driven stock, sideways is common. That's useful too: it tells you where the edges are.
Then go to your entry chart. Only a candle body closing past a level counts. On deal days, tails often stab through a level and snap back.
Set the stop from the chart, then size from the stop. Example: your stop is $1.50 below your entry and your plan risks $45. That's $45 ÷ $1.50 = 30 shares. The position size calculator does this for you. A math example, not a promise. Any trade can lose, and a news Gap can skip right past a stop.
Common mistakes
- Trading the headline, not the chart. A big deal can be good news and still see the stock fall after the first spike.
- Holding full size into earnings. A gap can equal weeks of normal moves. Many traders cut size or wait. See gap trading explained.
- Mixing up Intel and the chip sector. A strong day for Nvidia doesn't mean Intel's own story changed.
- Buying "because it's cheap." A low price per share says nothing about value or direction. Size from the stop, always.
Questions
Is Intel still in the Dow Jones?
No. Nvidia replaced Intel in the Dow Jones Industrial Average in November 2024. Intel is still in the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100.
Does Intel pay a dividend?
Not right now. Intel suspended its dividend in late 2024 to save cash for its factory plans. It has said it wants to bring one back when cash flow improves.
When does Intel report earnings?
Four times a year, after the US market closes, usually in late January, April, July and October. Check Intel's investor site for exact dates.
Why does Intel stock gap so often?
Many of its big moves come from news that lands outside market hours: earnings, partner deals and government decisions. The price adjusts all at once at the next open.
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