Shares of U.S. chipmakers surged late Monday after President Donald Trump confirmed a significant policy shift, allowing NVIDIA to resume shipping its H200 chips to approved customers in China and other countries. The announcement, made on December 8, 2025, via Trump’s Truth Social account, came after a day of speculation and was quickly followed by a rally in the stocks of Nvidia, Intel, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) during extended trading hours, according to Benzinga.
This move marks a notable change in the U.S. approach to semiconductor exports, reopening access to a lucrative market that had recently been off-limits to American chipmakers. Trump’s statement was clear: “I have informed President Xi, of China, that the United States will allow NVIDIA to ship its H200 products to approved customers in China, and other Countries, under conditions that allow for continued strong National Security.” He also noted that China’s President Xi responded “positively.”
However, the policy comes with a crucial caveat. While NVIDIA’s H200 chips will be available to select Chinese customers, the company’s more advanced Blackwell and future Rubin chips will remain exclusive to American customers. “My Administration will always put America FIRST. The Department of Commerce is finalizing the details, and the same approach will apply to AMD, Intel, and other GREAT American Companies,” Trump added in his post. The move is expected to bolster U.S. chipmakers’ revenues by reopening a major international market, but it also aims to preserve America’s technological edge in next-generation semiconductors.
According to Benzinga, all three companies—Nvidia, Intel, and AMD—saw their shares climb in Monday’s after-hours trading session as investors digested the news. The policy change is widely expected to have a positive impact on the bottom lines of U.S. chipmakers, who have been squeezed by export restrictions in recent years.
For Intel, the timing couldn’t be better. As reported by multiple sources, Intel has been reaping the benefits of years of investment and is now on the cusp of landing several large customers for its foundry business. As of December 6, 2025, Intel stock had already shown a 0.47% increase, and the positive momentum continued after the policy announcement. The video discussing Intel’s prospects, published on December 8, 2025, underscored the company’s improving outlook and its potential to win major new business.
Institutional investors have been actively adjusting their positions in Intel throughout 2025. According to MarketBeat, Fayez Sarofim & Co reduced its holdings in Intel by 13.1% in the second quarter, selling 63,943 shares but still retaining a substantial 424,088 shares worth $9.5 million at the end of the quarter. Other institutional players, such as HFM Investment Advisors LLC, West Branch Capital LLC, and Eukles Asset Management, have also made moves—either initiating new stakes or increasing their positions. By the end of the most recent quarter, 64.53% of Intel’s stock was owned by institutional investors, reflecting continued confidence in the company’s long-term prospects despite short-term volatility.
Intel’s stock performance has mirrored this optimism. On December 9, 2025, the company’s shares opened at $40.30. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $37.77 and a 200-day moving average of $28.29, signaling strong upward momentum over the past several months. With a market capitalization of $192.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 4,034.03, and a beta of 1.34, Intel has demonstrated resilience in a highly competitive sector. The company’s shares have ranged from a one-year low of $17.67 to a high of $44.02, underscoring the volatility and opportunity in the chip market.
Intel’s most recent earnings report, announced on October 23, 2025, revealed a quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of $0.23 and revenue of $13.65 billion—a 3% increase compared to the same period last year. While the company reported a negative return on equity of 0.75% and a net margin of 0.37%, the revenue uptick suggests that Intel’s efforts to diversify its business and invest in new technologies are beginning to pay off. The company has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.080-0.080 EPS, and analysts expect Intel to post -0.11 EPS for the full year, reflecting the challenges of a rapidly evolving market.
Wall Street analysts remain cautious but not pessimistic. As of early December 2025, Intel’s stock carried an average rating of “Reduce,” with two Buy ratings, twenty-four Hold ratings, and eight Sell ratings. The consensus target price stood at $34.84, according to MarketBeat. Some analysts, like those at Weiss Ratings and DZ Bank, have reiterated Sell ratings, while others, including Mizuho and Barclays, have raised their price objectives and maintained more neutral stances. Cowen, for its part, reaffirmed a Hold rating on Intel shares. This diversity of opinion reflects the complex landscape Intel navigates as it balances legacy businesses with new growth opportunities in foundry services, AI, and data centers.
Intel’s business model is broad and evolving. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a range of computing and related products worldwide. Its portfolio includes central processing units and chipsets, system-on-chips (SoCs), graphics processing units (GPUs), domain-specific accelerators, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and a variety of memory and networking products. Intel operates through several segments, including Client Computing Group, Data Center and AI, Network and Edge, Mobileye, and Intel Foundry Services. The foundry business, in particular, has been identified as a key growth driver as global demand for advanced chips continues to accelerate.
With the U.S. government’s latest policy shift, Intel and its peers are poised to regain access to international markets that had been restricted by export controls. While the deal does not extend to the most advanced chips—reserved for American customers—it represents a significant opening for U.S. companies to compete globally while maintaining national security safeguards.
Investors and industry watchers alike will be keeping a close eye on how the Department of Commerce finalizes the details and how quickly Nvidia, Intel, and AMD can capitalize on the newly opened channels. The stakes are high, not just for the companies involved, but for the broader U.S. semiconductor industry as it seeks to maintain its leadership in a landscape shaped by both innovation and geopolitics.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the global chip race is far from over, and with renewed market access, America’s leading chipmakers are gearing up for their next big leap.
