Overview

• SoftBank agreed to buy new Intel shares at $23 each for about a 2% holding, describing the purchase as a strategic bet on U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.
• U.S. Commerce Minister Howard Lutnick said on CNBC that the administration intends to pursue an ownership stake of around 10% using shares without voting rights.
• Officials are considering converting roughly $10.9 billion in previously awarded Chips Act grants into equity, with legal and governance terms still being negotiated.
• Intel’s stock jumped after the SoftBank deal disclosure, extending a rebound following volatile trading linked to reports of a potential U.S. investment.
• The support efforts follow deep losses, major layoffs, and cancellations such as the Magdeburg factory, as Intel struggles to regain ground in advanced manufacturing and AI chips.