📈 Nvidia's $5B Intel Bet

Good Morning…

When the world's most dominant AI chipmaker writes a $5 billion check to rescue its most troubled rival, smart money asks not "why now?" but "what do they know that we don't?"

🔎 Market Trends → Wall Street indexes notch record-high closes as Intel soars on Nvidia stake

🖥️ Market Movers from Fintech.tv → [WATCH] Gold and Silver: The Rise of Hard Assets Amid Dollar Erosion

And now…

⏱️ Your 5-minute briefing for Friday, September 19, 2025:

MARKET BRIEF
Before the Open

Pre-Market

Fear & Greed

Markets in Review

New Highs, Who Dis? Markets Roar After Fed Blinks

S&P 500 +0.48% to 6,631.96 (record). Nasdaq +0.94% to 22,470.73 (record). Dow +0.27% to 46,142.42. The Russell 2000 +2.4% closed at an all-time high.

The Big Picture:

Wall Street responded with a roar after the Federal Reserve trimmed rates by 25 basis points, signaling a shift toward easier monetary policy. The move was widely anticipated—but the market's reaction suggests investors are already pricing in more cuts ahead.

Smaller-cap stocks led the rally, as cheaper borrowing costs disproportionately benefit firms that rely on debt to scale. Meanwhile, tech caught a second wind, thanks to a $5B vote of confidence from Nvidia (NVDA) in longtime laggard Intel (INTC).

In the commodities pit, WTI crude held above $91/barrel, reflecting continued geopolitical tensions and tight inventories. Gold edged higher as real yields softened, bolstering the case for non-yielding assets.

Market Movers:

• Intel (INTC) soared +22.8%, its best day since 1987, after Nvidia said it will invest $5B to co-develop chips for AI and data centers. The deal boosts Intel’s relevance—and gives Nvidia enterprise access via Intel’s x86 base.

• Darden Restaurants (DRI) dropped −9.3% after posting soft earnings. Despite solid same-store sales, investors balked at muted profit guidance and weakness in fine dining.

• The Russell 2000 (RUT) hit its first record high since 2021, signaling renewed appetite for risk and domestic growth stories.

What They’re Saying:

“I don’t love the multiples, but how do I not own it?” — David Tepper, Appaloosa Management, on Thursday’s "Squawk Box."

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Events

• Today: There are no events scheduled for today.

Earnings Reports

• Today: JinkoSolar

• Monday: Firefly Aerospace, Toro Corp.

MARKET INSIGHTS
Leading News 

Nvidia's $5B Intel Bet Signals New Chip Alliance Era

Why it matters:

This isn't just another tech investment—it's a strategic masterstroke that could reshape the semiconductor landscape while breathing new life into Intel's foundering fortunes.

Zoom Out:

The partnership between Nvidia (NVDA) and Intel (INTC) represents more than financial engineering. At $23.28 per share, Nvidia is essentially betting that Intel's x86 architecture remains relevant in an AI-dominated future—a contrarian view worth watching.

Intel shares surged 33% in premarket trading, building on the 11% gains since July when the Trump administration threw the chipmaker a lifeline with a 10% government stake. Sometimes the best turnaround stories emerge from the deepest valleys.

This collaboration cleverly sidesteps Intel's foundry struggles while leveraging its massive installed base. Smart investors recognize when former rivals become strategic allies—especially when $5 billion changes hands.

Key Insights:

• Ecosystem Play: The marriage of Nvidia's AI prowess with Intel's x86 dominance creates a formidable platform for next-gen computing—think of it as combining Google's software with Apple's hardware distribution

• Timing Advantage: With China trade restrictions limiting Nvidia's options, this domestic partnership offers regulatory stability and market access that pure-play overseas investments can't match

• Foundry Bypass: Notably absent from the deal: Intel manufacturing Nvidia chips—suggesting this is about co-development, not production

Market Pulse:

"This historic collaboration tightly couples NVIDIA's AI stack with Intel's CPUs and the vast x86 ecosystem—a fusion of two world-class platforms." —Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO

Bull’s Take:

When the world's most valuable chip company bets $5 billion on the industry's most beleaguered giant, savvy investors should pay attention. This partnership could unlock Intel's dormant potential while giving Nvidia crucial domestic leverage.

Market Stories of Note

FedEx Delivers Double Beat, Defies Doubters:

FedEx's earnings surprise reveals what happens when logistics giants execute operational discipline while Wall Street expects economic malaise. The delivery behemoth posted $3.83 per share versus expectations of $3.59, with 6% volume growth demonstrating that consumer spending remains more resilient than recession prophets predicted. Smart investors should note that FedEx's 4-6% revenue guidance trounces Wall Street's anemic 1.2% forecast—suggesting management sees economic tailwinds that analysts are missing.

CrowdStrike's $20B Vision Sparks AI Security Rally:

CrowdStrike's ambitious investor day promises of reaching $20 billion in annual recurring revenue by 2036 matter because they signal the cybersecurity giant believes AI threats will create a growth windfall lasting more than a decade. The company's 20%+ growth target for 2027 and strategic acquisitions like Pangea show management positioning for an AI-driven security boom that could dwarf today's threat landscape. Investors betting on the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity should note that when market leaders like CrowdStrike set decade-long targets this bold, they typically know something the rest of us are just beginning to understand.

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CRYPTO
Fear & Greed 

Headlines

• Bitcoin Climbs to $117K After Fed’s Rate Cut (link)

• REX-Osprey launches first of its kind spot XRP ETF tracking the third-largest cryptocurrency (link)

• BNB hits $1,000 for first time as altcoins outpace bitcoin after Fed rate cut (link)