Intel shares jumped the most since March after a research report stoked optimism about its delayed next-generation manufacturing technology and sent rival AMD tumbling.
A ramp-up of Intel’s 10-nanometer production could begin as soon as April, four to six weeks earlier than current projections, BlueFin Research Partners said in a research note. Intel gained as much as 5.2% while rival AMD fell 8.6%.
Intel is making “significant strides” toward the company’s 10nm yield target prompting informal discussions with several suppliers about the possibility that the ramp could begin before June, according to BlueFin, a boutique research firm based in Boston.
Intel’s 10nm production has been hampered by delays as the Santa Clara, California-based company struggles to shift to the more advanced manufacturing technique. That’s fuelled optimism that its cross-town rival can take share in the market for central processing units used in PCs and servers that’s dominated by Intel. Even after Tuesday’s loses, AMD is up more than 180% this year, making it the best performing stock in the S&P 500 Index.
Initial expectations for Intel’s fourth-quarter production levels suggest a slight decline from the previous quarter, which is “well above” the average projection on Wall Street, BlueFin said. — Reported by Jeran Wittenstein, with assistance from Ian King, (c) 2018 Bloomberg LP