Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-01-09 05:22Market Overview - The US stock market closed the year with a significant sell-off, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.94% and the Nasdaq only slightly up by 0.16% after a late rally [1][3] - Intel's stock surged by 6.47%, reaching a peak of $42.63, amidst a broader market decline [1] Labor Market Data - The drop in the stock market was triggered by stronger-than-expected labor market data, with initial jobless claims falling to 199,000, the lowest level of the year [3] - This robust employment data led to a sharp decline in expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut, with the probability of a 25 basis point cut in January dropping to 16.1% [3] Sector Performance - Technology stocks showed a mixed performance, with Nvidia, Google, and Microsoft slightly up, while Apple, Tesla, and Meta all closed lower [4] - Mining stocks were heavily impacted, with Endeavour Silver down over 4% and Hecla Mining down 2.68%, primarily due to increased margin requirements [4] Intel's Financial Performance - Intel reported third-quarter revenue of $13.65 billion, a 2.8% year-over-year increase, with a gross margin of 40%, exceeding market expectations [6] - This marked Intel's first revenue growth in six quarters and its first profitable quarter since the end of 2023 [6] - The company received significant funding, including $8.9 billion from the US government for a 10% stake, $2 billion from SoftBank, and $5 billion from Nvidia [6] Strategic Focus - Intel is focusing on AI contract manufacturing and the PC ecosystem, with its advanced 18A process already in production and plans for the next-generation 14A process receiving positive feedback from customers [7] - The CFO of Intel stated that strong chip demand is leading to supply constraints, a trend expected to continue until 2026 [7] Neuralink and Brain-Computer Interface Stocks - The surge in brain-computer interface stocks was driven by Elon Musk's announcement that Neuralink will begin mass production of its devices in 2026 [8] - The market reacted positively, with a significant increase in related stocks, and the A-share market saw a notable rise in the brain-computer interface index [8] Chinese Stocks Performance - The Chinese concept stock index fell by 1.54%, with major companies like NetEase and Alibaba seeing declines of over 2% [10] - However, Alibaba and NetEase had significant annual gains of 75% and 58%, respectively, while JD.com saw a decline of 15% [11] - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index still managed an annual increase of 11.33% despite short-term adjustments [11]