Intel heads into its April 23 earnings with rising investor expectations , but the key question remains whether AI-driven CPU demand can offset ongoing margin weakness . Revenue Stable, But Margins Under Pressure Intel is expected to deliver Q1 revenue around US$12.4 billion , slightly above the midpoint of its guidance range. However, the real concern lies in profitability: Gross margin guided at 34.5% , down from 39.2% a year ago EPS near breakeven (~US$0.00) vs US$0.13 last year This highlights continued pressure from costs, utilisation, and product mix , despite improving demand signals. AI CPUs: A Key Growth Driver Intel’s near-term bullish case centers on AI-related CPU demand , particularly its Xeon processors. A key development is its partnership with Alphabet , which reinforces: Intel’s role in AI data centre infrastructure Growing demand for AI inference and general-purpose computing Investors will watch c...
Wall Street Summary
- S&P 500 (-0.47%) and Nasdaq (-1.35%) fell, while Dow Jones (+0.37%) managed to stay in positive territory.
- Tech stocks tumbled due to weak consumer confidence, Tesla’s poor sales data, and a crypto pullback.
- Bitcoin dropped 4% after reaching $90K, while MicroStrategy slid 11% after increasing its Bitcoin purchases.
- Tesla fell 8% due to a 50% drop in sales in the UK & Europe since early 2025.
- Super Micro Computer surged 23% in after-hours trading after filing reports to avoid delisting from Nasdaq.
- Nvidia remains under pressure ahead of its earnings report.
Bursa Malaysia Insight
- FBM KLCI (-1.02%) plunged to a 3-week low as over 900 stocks declined, reflecting weak market sentiment.
- Losers outpaced gainers 4:1, with high trading volume of 3.14 billion shares worth RM2.65 billion.
- Only the Transportation & Logistics Index ended in the green.
Stocks to Watch
- Eco World Development sells land for RM266.1 million and partners with Pearl Computing Malaysia (affiliated with Google) to build a data center.
- Nestlé Malaysia's net profit dropped 72.2% YOY to RM41.1 million, the lowest in 11 years, due to rising costs and weaker sales.
- Affin Bank's Q4 profit tripled to RM135.1 million, with a bonus issue of 1 new share for every 18 existing shares.
- Telekom Malaysia (TM) saw a 68.5% surge in net profit, supported by tax credit recognition.
Summary:
- Tech stocks slump ahead of Nvidia earnings, dragging down Nasdaq and Bitcoin.
- Bursa Malaysia suffers a broad sell-off, with over 900 stocks declining.
- Super Micro jumps 23% after avoiding Nasdaq delisting.
- Key stocks to watch: Nestlé (profit drop), Affin (strong earnings), TM (profit surge), Eco World (Google-linked data center).
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