Intel encountered a significant hurdle when AI leader Nvidia paused its evaluation of Intel’s cutting-edge 18A process, according to Reuters sources. The announcement triggered an early-session share slide of approximately 4%, although Intel shares recouped roughly half of those losses by the close. The delay raises questions about Intel’s ability to compete in advanced-node manufacturing, as 18A had been central to its strategy to reclaim foundry market share from TSMC and Samsung. Investors will watch closely for Intel’s next timeline update and any alternative partnerships to validate the 18A roadmap.

After a disastrous 2024 that saw Intel’s market capitalization plunge by over 50% and culminated in its removal from the Dow Jones Industrial Average on November 8, 2024, Intel has engineered a dramatic turnaround. In 2025 to date, Intel shares have rallied some 80%, outpacing the 14.3% gain of the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust. Since its Dow ouster, Intel is up 40.1%, compared with Nvidia’s 25.9% return over the same period. This resurgence has been fueled by renewed investor optimism around AI compute demand, a $5 billion Nvidia investment, and fresh commitments in U.S. government R&D and manufacturing incentives.

In late December 2025 Nvidia completed its acquisition of approximately 214.7 million Intel shares, representing a $5 billion outlay, as confirmed in an Intel securities filing. The transaction, first announced in September and cleared by the FTC days prior, not only injects much-needed capital into Intel’s operations but also cements a multi-generation collaboration on custom data-center and PC products. Nvidia’s stake aligns both companies’ incentives in areas such as high-performance AI accelerators, potentially accelerating joint roadmaps and underpinning Intel’s capex and R&D for nodes beyond 18A.