Intel Jumps as Analysts Hike Targets to $100 on AI Surge

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The stock surged to the $82-85 range intraday (hitting new highs, surpassing its .-com era peak in some sessions) after closing around $66.78 pre-earnings. The volume was very high. Citing AI CPU momentum, foundry advancement, and turnaround under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, some companies raised their ratings and targets following (or before) earnings: Roth Capital: Upgraded to Buy, target $100 (from $50). HSBC: Increased to $100 (from $95), on server CPU growth, buy rating.

The positive outlook indicates that CEO Lip-Bu Tan is moving forward with a difficult recovery plan. He is now fulfilling a pledge to enhance operations after securing significant investments in Intel last year, which strengthened the company’s balance sheet.

Great Hill Capital Chairman Thomas Hayes, an Intel investor, stated on Bloomberg Television that “everyone is starting to direct orders to Intel, and I think we are in the early days.” In a very short time, this has transitioned from hopelessness to exhilaration. The earnings report demonstrates the necessity of a data center.

. According to the earnings report, demand for Intel’s flagship Xeon server processors is rising because of the need for data center chips to support the massive expansion of AI. The central processing unit, or CPU, is a type of general-purpose semiconductor that businesses attempting to transform their AI software into profitable services are focusing on again. Tan stated in an interview that Intel produced a “solid result” that exceeded its expectations.

He stated that the company is “laser-focused” on boosting output from Intel’s factories, which are still unable to produce enough to fulfill all of its orders, and he anticipates that the robust demand for processors used in AI systems will grow.

China Slams Door on US Investors in Strategic Tech Companies

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Chinese regulators intend to prohibit technology companies, including some of the nation’s best-known AI pioneers, from accepting US capital without government approval.

The contentious purchase of startup Manus. According to people familiar with the situation, agencies such as the National Development and Reform Commission have instructed several private companies in recent weeks to reject US-origin capital in funding rounds unless specifically authorized.

Moonshot AI, which is considering going public, was among the companies that received advice from the influential state planner. Another person claimed that StepFun, a fellow Chinese startup, was given similar instructions and asked to remain anonymous to discuss a private matter.

Regulators have also decided to impose comparable limitations on ByteDance Ltd. The most valuable startup in the nation, according to the people, is the owner of TikTok.

The main goal of the most recent regulations is to keep US investors from investing in delicate industries where national security is a top concern. The $2 billion Manus buyout earlier this year, which prompted a Beijing investigation into illicit foreign investment and tech exports soon after its December announcement, is the source of the previously unreported action.

Critics have since bemoaned the loss of important AI technology to a geopolitical rival, despite the deal’s initial praise as a model for startups with international goals. According to the people, the commission, a potent state planning agency with extensive policy-making authority, is currently leading a multi-agency investigation into the deal and its consequences that involves the Ministry of Commerce.

The new regulations run the risk of further cutting off China’s rebounding tech industry from the venture capital funding that has supported it for the past 20 years, a portion of which came from American endowments and pensions. Beijing’s decision to prohibit “red chips,” or Chinese companies incorporated abroad, from pursuing initial public offerings in Hong Kong threatens to disrupt a decades-old strategy that allowed Chinese businesses to access foreign capital by floating abroad.

Elon Musk Drops Fraud Claims Against OpenAI, Sam Altman Before Trial

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Elon Musk narrowed the scope of his lawsuit against his business rivals by dropping his fraud claims against OpenAI and co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Only two of the 26 claims in Musk’s November 2024 complaint will go to trial after US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers granted his request to “streamline” the case on Friday.

In federal court in Oakland, California, jury selection is scheduled for Monday. Musk claims that after receiving billions of dollars in funding from Microsoft, the artificial intelligence startup abandoned its original goal of serving humanity as a nonprofit. and intended to reorganize it as a for-profit company

If he prevails in court, Musk wants up to $134 billion in damages, which he has requested be given to OpenAI’s charitable division. In addition, he wants a judge to order Altman and Brockman to resign from their positions and to restore the firm’s status as a nonprofit research organization.

OpenAI accused the richest person of a “legal ambush” and complained to the judge that Musk’s proposed remedies were an 11th-hour surprise. OpenAI, Altman, Brockman, and Microsoft have all refuted any misconduct, calling Musk’s allegations harassment. There will be two stages to the trial.

A jury will hear arguments and testimony regarding Musk’s accusations, which now center on two claims: breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.

Gonzalez Rogers, who will ultimately determine whether Musk has proven his claims, will not be bound by the panel’s “advisory verdict.”. Gonzalez Rogers will hear arguments regarding the remedies Musk is requesting and render a decision during the second phase of the proceedings.

Along with Altman and others, Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015. However, in recent years, the former business partners have turned into fierce rivals. After leaving the OpenAI board in 2018, Musk co-founded the company in 2023.

Meta, Microsoft to Trim Thousands of Jobs Through Buyouts and Layoffs

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Meta and Microsoft are planning layoffs or announcing buyouts that could impact up to 23,000 jobs to streamline operations and counteract significant spending on artificial intelligence. In an internal memo on Thursday, Meta informed staff that it intended to lay off 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 workers, beginning on May 20.

Additionally, the social media company stated that it would not fill 6,000 open positions. Microsoft offered thousands of its US employees voluntary buyouts in a memo it released earlier in the day. A person familiar with the planning estimates that the buyouts will be available to about 7% of the US workforce.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss an internal issue, stated that the company has never carried out buyouts of this magnitude before. As of June 2025, Microsoft employed 125,000 people in the United States. Approximately 8,750 workers would then be qualified for the program.

Microsoft announced new AI investments in Australia and Japan this month as part of its race to build data centers worldwide. In the meantime, Meta has announced multiple multibillion-dollar agreements with AI partners in recent months and has predicted record capital expenditures this year. In recent years, both businesses have implemented multiple rounds of layoffs. The memo, written by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, referenced Meta’s AI expenditures.

She stated in the note, “We’re doing this as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making.”. The Reality Labs division and other teams have already experienced job cuts, which caused Meta employees to worry. According to Gale, the company was making the layoffs public early because information about the plan had already leaked. Earlier this month, Meta’s planned workforce reductions were first reported by Reuters.

Intel Shares Soar as AI Outlook Powers $80 Price Target

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The long-struggling chipmaker is benefiting from the massive build-out of artificial intelligence computing, as evidenced by Intel’s spectacular sales forecast that exceeded Wall Street expectations. Following the release of the results, Intel’s stock shot up 20% in extended trading, setting new records. It had increased by 81% this year, before the report closed at $66.78.

Quilter Reports Record Q1 Net Inflows, Share Price Heads to High as Platform Strength Drives Recovery

Posted on April 23, 2026April 24, 2026 by Skerdian Meta

Despite recent market volatility, Quilter PLC reported record first-quarter inflows and increased assets under management, which were bolstered by robust platform demand.
Continue reading “Quilter Reports Record Q1 Net Inflows, Share Price Heads to High as Platform Strength Drives Recovery” →

Tesla, Nvidia & Boeing Power S&P 500 to Fresh All-Time High

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

President Donald Trump’s extension of a ceasefire with Iran and numerous positive corporate results rekindled risk appetites after a two-day retreat, sending stocks to all-time highs. The value of Bitcoin rose.

The S&P 500 maintained its monthly upward trend with a 1% gain, the highest since 2020.

Chipmakers climbed for 16 days in a row, the longest winning streak in history. Boeing Co. expanded on solid first-quarter deliveries. Tesla Inc. increased as earnings surpassed forecasts. Texas Instruments, Inc. offered a reliable forecast for the current period.

Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire signified a retreat from his threats to start bombing Iran again if a deal could not be reached by Wednesday’s deadline. This move would have reignited a conflict that has killed thousands of people and driven up energy costs.

Tensions are still high as Tehran maintains a firm hold on the Strait of Hormuz, regulating trade routes and firing on ships. The US is unwilling to end its blockade of ships with ties to Iran. The price of Brent oil settled around $102.

Strong corporate profits, the revival of the artificial intelligence trade, and an otherwise strong economy have all helped to boost stocks despite ongoing geopolitical risks. Nearly 80% of the SandP 500 companies reporting first-quarter results have surpassed analyst earnings estimates thus far. Despite the continued uncertainty and saber-rattling surrounding the Iran conflict, Rick Gardner of RGA Investments claims that markets are looking ahead.

Elon Musk Places $60 Billion Bet on AI Coding Startup Cursor Amid xAI Setbacks

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is attempting to persuade companies to use its Grok chatbot to expedite the coding process. However, Musk’s own staff members have occasionally been hesitant to follow suit.

Some SpaceX engineers have been reluctant to use Grok for technical work because it isn’t as efficient as competing tools. According to some of the people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal issues, some employees in its xAI division have been using Anthropic PBC’s Claude for coding instead of Grok.

AI coding tools, which make writing and debugging code easier, are now a major source of income for xAI’s rivals.

The reluctance of Musk’s employees to use Grok suggests that the company has a long way to go before becoming a major player in the market. These difficulties have forced Musk to create what might be one of his best.

Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, which merged with xAI earlier this year, announced on Tuesday that it has an agreement allowing it to either pay $10 billion for the companies’ collaboration or acquire AI coding startup Cursor for $60 billion later this year.

The expensive partnership aims to create “the world’s best coding and knowledge work AI.” Meanwhile, xAI has created a sophisticated, if frequently contentious, chatbot using information from the social network X, which Musk owns. However, Grok has not yet demonstrated its coding prowess, and there is a great chance that this will soon change.

Before SpaceX’s anticipated June IPO, the company’s employees have been asked to demonstrate that they can significantly increase revenue, which, up until mid-2025, came mostly from Musk’s other ventures. Meanwhile, the xAI team has been promoting Grok as a helpful tool for conducting internal business and providing performance reviews to Wall Street behemoths and US government agencies.

Forex Signals April 22: Tesla TSLA, IBM, Boeing, PM, CME, ServiceNow Earnings Preview

Posted on April 22, 2026April 22, 2026 by Skerdian Meta

The top earners in the IT, industrial, and consumer sectors—including Tesla, IBM, Boeing, PM, CME, and ServiceNow—will present their Q1 earnings on Wednesday. Continue reading “Forex Signals April 22: Tesla TSLA, IBM, Boeing, PM, CME, ServiceNow Earnings Preview” →

Forex Signals April 21: GE Aero, UnitedHealth UNH, RTX, UAL Earnings Preview

Posted on April 21, 2026April 21, 2026 by Skerdian Meta

Important businesses in the travel, healthcare, and industrial industries, including as GE Aerospace, UnitedHealth Group, and RTX Corporation, are at the top of Tuesday’s earnings schedule.
Continue reading “Forex Signals April 21: GE Aero, UnitedHealth UNH, RTX, UAL Earnings Preview” →