Intel’s stock price experienced a notable uptick on Wednesday, inching closer to its two-year high, following comments from President Trump that stirred speculation about Apple’s potential collaboration with the tech giant’s chip-manufacturing segment.
In remarks made to reporters on Tuesday, Trump highlighted Intel’s recent stock performance since the U.S. government’s investment in the company last August. “The stock went very up, and very high and we made tens of billions of dollars,” he stated, indicating that major players like Apple and Nvidia have shown interest in Intel as a result of this investment. Nvidia, in particular, recently made headlines by acquiring a $5 billion stake in Intel.
While Trump’s comments were vague—especially regarding what he meant by “Apple went in”—analysts have been weighing in on the implications of his words. Market chatter has suggested that Apple could potentially become a crucial customer for Intel’s much-anticipated 18A chipmaking technology. Intel is heavily invested in this next-generation process as part of its strategy to rejuvenate its struggling foundry business, which has yet to secure a major customer willing to utilize the new manufacturing capabilities.
KeyBanc analyst John Vinh recently expressed optimism in a note, predicting that Apple is likely to become a key customer for the 18A technology. However, there has yet to be any official announcement regarding a contractual agreement between the two tech giants.
The ambiguity surrounding Trump’s statement has led to questions about whether he was misinformed, unintentionally revealed sensitive information, or simply engaging in his characteristic exaggeration. Nonetheless, the influence of a U.S. president who closely monitors the stock market is evident, as investors appear to be responding to these cues when making their investment decisions.
Critically, while this dynamic may not align with traditional notions of free market capitalism, it appears to be generating positive momentum for Intel’s stock in the short term. The situation underscores the intersection of politics and corporate strategy, particularly in a market highly attuned to the actions and words of powerful figures.
