Stock Market Today, Sept. 17: Intel Surges 8% on Rumored SK Hynix Talks
Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), the leading chip manufacturer, closed at $108.80, up 7.67%. Shares rose after news reports yesterday of a possible tie-up with SK Hynix (NASDAQ:SKHY). They continued to rise today, even though the South Korean firm issued a statement saying that nothing has been finalized.
Trading volume reached 147.2 million shares, coming in about 35% above its three-month average of 109.0 million shares.
How the markets moved today
The S&P 500 closed at 7,638, up 1.14%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished at 26,418, up 1.69%. Among semiconductors, Advanced Micro Devices closed at $545.09, up 6.36%, and Qualcomm closed at $188.71, up 2.09%, as chip-sector strength and memory-share momentum lifted the group.
What this means for investors
Chip stocks rallied today after a rough week in which interest rate hikes and tech leaders' calls for a slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI) development weighed on the sector. Intel got an extra boost from a deal that may not even materialize: Even a whisper that SK Hynix might, possibly, maybe lease part of its Ohio complex or enter into a joint venture proved tantalizing to investors.
The difficulty with these types of speculative price jumps is that they often aren't sustainable. SK Hynix saying it is "exploring various options" is a long way from signing a deal. More concrete news? Barclays upgraded the stock from "Underperform" to "Overweight." Ultimately, Intel is well-placed to benefit from growing AI demand, but finding a client for its foundry business -- whether or not that's SK Hynix -- would represent a significant win.
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Emma Newbery has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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