Micron options surge as Intel nears $550 billion market value
Updated
Updated · CNBC · May 5
Micron options surge as Intel nears $550 billion market value
10 articles · Updated · CNBC · May 5
By noon in Chicago, more than $2.8 billion of Micron options premium had traded, while Intel rose 13% Tuesday and Micron's market value topped $700 billion.
Micron dominated early US options activity despite no major company news, with call buying outpacing puts and implied volatility reaching 84, about five times the S&P 500's level.
The rally spread across AI-linked chip stocks including SanDisk and Western Digital at record highs, while Intel's latest jump extended a one-year gain above 430% after Apple production-talk optimism.
Can Intel's technology truly lure top clients like Apple away from the dominant chipmaker TSMC?
Billions are fueling Intel's revival for US chip security. Is this a guaranteed success or a high-stakes technological gamble?
Is Intel's massive bet on CPUs for the AI era a winning strategy or a historic miscalculation?
April 2026 Rally: How Intel’s 114% Stock Gain Validates Its AI and Manufacturing Comeback
Overview
In April 2026, Intel's stock soared by 114%, driven by a record-breaking 24% single-day jump following a strong earnings report. This success was fueled by rising AI infrastructure demand from major tech companies, Intel's advanced U.S.-based manufacturing, and strategic expansions like foundry services. Key investments from Nvidia and the U.S. government, along with CEO Lip-Bu Tan's leadership, reinforced confidence. Intel also gained ground against rivals by improving AI PC chips and server processors. However, ongoing challenges such as intense competition, manufacturing risks, financial pressures, environmental impacts, and geopolitical tensions pose risks to sustaining this momentum.