November 21, 2025 | Evaluating Intel’s Resurgence in a Complex Semiconductor Market

Intel is starting to look much stronger in the semiconductor industry, and several big trends are working in its favor. We are watching Intel closely as a potential addition to our Trend Disruptors service—but as we mentioned yesterday, we’re also being patient. Nvidia reported very strong earnings last night, and while the stock initially jumped this morning, both Nvidia and the entire semiconductor sector turned negative as the day went on. This reinforces our view that the sector may still be in the early stages of a pull back, if not a full blown correction.

Why Intel is Looking More Interesting

1. Intel’s new chip-making technology is finally improving.
   For years, Intel lagged behind top competitor TSM (Taiwan Semiconductor). But Intel’s new “18A” manufacturing process is making real progress. If Intel can mass-produce chips at this level, it will help close the gap that has held the company back.
2. Big chipmakers want more manufacturing options — and the US government is heavily backing Intel.
   Companies like AMD and Nvidia don’t want to rely on only TSM, especially with the geopolitical risks surrounding Taiwan and China. Any supply disruption could ripple through the entire tech world.

Intel is becoming a more important alternative, and the US government has made a large financial investment to help Intel build advanced chip factories. This backing gives Intel stronger footing as it rebuilds its foundry business.

3. A shift in the AI industry could benefit Intel.
   Nvidia currently dominates in AI ‘training,’ which requires massive computing power. But many experts believe the next wave of spending will be in AI inference—the everyday running of AI models. Inference doesn’t always require Nvidia’s powerful GPUs. CPUs from Intel and AMD could play a bigger role, giving Intel a chance to regain market share.

Bottom Line

Intel is benefiting from improving manufacturing technology, strong US government support, customer demand for more diverse chip suppliers, and a potential shift in AI computing toward areas where Intel competes well.

We see real potential here—but given the semiconductor sector’s stretched levels and the risk of a broader pullback, we are watching closely and waiting for a better entry point before pulling the trigger on Intel for Trend Disruptors subscribers.

Stay tuned!

Martin Straith November 21st, 2025

Posted In: The Trend Letter

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