KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
Intel Corp (NASDAQ: INTC) is in preliminary discussions to acquire SambaNova Systems Inc, a Silicon Valley AI chip startup that has been seeking buyers, according to Bloomberg.
Early-Stage Negotiations
Sources familiar with the matter said Intel and SambaNova are discussing potential terms, though talks remain in the early stages and no deal has been finalized.
The valuation would likely come in below the US$5 billion SambaNova achieved in its 2021 fundraising round. The company has been working with bankers to explore acquisition options, and other bidders could still emerge.
Both Intel and SambaNova declined to comment.
Strategic Fit for Intel
For Intel, acquiring SambaNova would align with its push to strengthen AI computing capabilities and compete more effectively with Nvidia Corp, the market leader in AI processors.
Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan has deep ties to SambaNova — he previously served as executive chairman, while his venture firm Walden International was one of its founding investors, having led a US$56 million Series A round in 2018.
SambaNova’s most recent funding round, led by SoftBank Group Corp in 2021, raised US$676 million and valued the company at US$5 billion.
SambaNova’s AI Focus
Founded in 2017 by Stanford University professors, SambaNova designs custom AI chips that compete with Nvidia’s products. In recent years, the company has pivoted toward AI inference processing — the running of pre-trained models — rather than model training, offering its systems through cloud and on-premises solutions.
However, amid intensifying competition and slower demand growth, SambaNova laid off about 15% of its workforce in April 2025.
Industry Context
The potential deal comes as global chipmakers race to expand their foothold in the booming generative AI market, where demand for processing power continues to outstrip supply. Intel, which has lagged Nvidia and AMD in AI hardware, has been investing aggressively in data center and GPU development to regain relevance.
An acquisition of SambaNova would give Intel access to proprietary chip architecture and AI infrastructure expertise, possibly accelerating its ability to deliver high-performance inference solutions.
Investor Takeaway
While early and uncertain, the potential Intel–SambaNova deal signals Intel’s determination to close the AI gap with Nvidia.
If completed, it could strengthen Intel’s AI data center portfolio — but investors should note that integration risks and valuation discipline will be key as Intel balances growth with profitability amid its multi-year turnaround strategy.
Comments
Post a Comment