Intel stock nearly triples in 2026 while chip rivals struggle

Bloomberg reported July 23 that Intel shares had gained 178% year-to-date as of mid-2026, nearly tripling in under seven months. That makes Intel one of the best-performing large company stocks globally, even as rival chipmakers fell on worries about AI spending. A gain this large suggests something specific to Intel, not a rising tide lifting the whole sector — though the data doesn't say what.