{"id":62085,"date":"2026-05-18T19:38:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T23:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-update-intel-foundry-gains-momentum-oasis-targets-tokyo-steel-and-geopolitical-shifts-impact-oil\/62085\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T19:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T23:38:25","slug":"global-markets-update-intel-foundry-gains-momentum-oasis-targets-tokyo-steel-and-geopolitical-shifts-impact-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-update-intel-foundry-gains-momentum-oasis-targets-tokyo-steel-and-geopolitical-shifts-impact-oil\/62085\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets Update: Intel Foundry Gains Momentum, Oasis Targets Tokyo Steel, and Geopolitical Shifts Impact Oil"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Intel (<a href=\"\/stock\/INTC\">INTC<\/a>) CEO Lip-Bu Tan reports significant momentum<\/strong> in the company\u2019s foundry business, with reports of a preliminary manufacturing deal with Apple (<a href=\"\/stock\/AAPL\">AAPL<\/a>) driving shares to record highs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Oasis Management has proposed that Tokyo Steel (<a href=\"\/stock\/5423\">5423<\/a>) pivot to data centers<\/strong>, urging the company to repurpose underused plants to unlock a projected <strong>115% stock upside<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Oil prices fell as much as 7%<\/strong> on optimism surrounding a potential deal between the U.S. and Iran, despite reports of Iranian commanders studying American flight patterns with Russian assistance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>New Zealand faces a &quot;stagflationary&quot; squeeze<\/strong>, as April retail card spending dropped <strong>1.3%<\/strong> while producer input prices surged <strong>1.4%<\/strong> in the first quarter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Intel\u2019s Foundry Turnaround Gains Traction<\/h2>\n<p>Intel (<a href=\"\/stock\/INTC\">INTC<\/a>) CEO <strong>Lip-Bu Tan<\/strong> stated on Monday that the company\u2019s foundry business is gaining significant momentum as customer interest continues to scale. The remarks follow reports that Intel has reached a preliminary agreement with Apple (<a href=\"\/stock\/AAPL\">AAPL<\/a>) to manufacture chips, a move that would represent a major shift away from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).<\/p>\n<p>The chipmaker&#39;s stock has surged nearly <strong>240%<\/strong> year-to-date in 2026, recently hitting a fresh all-time high of <strong>$133<\/strong>. Analysts point to improving yields on Intel\u2019s <strong>18A process node<\/strong> and a <strong>$5 billion investment<\/strong> from Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) as critical factors in the company&#39;s recovery.<\/p>\n<h2>Oasis Management Pushes Tokyo Steel Toward Data Centers<\/h2>\n<p>Activist investor <strong>Oasis Management<\/strong> has launched a campaign against Tokyo Steel (<a href=\"\/stock\/5423\">5423<\/a>), proposing the repurposing of underused steel plants into <strong>data centers<\/strong>. Oasis, which holds an <strong>8.7% stake<\/strong> in the company, argues that the pivot is necessary to address &quot;persistently low capital efficiency&quot; and low plant utilization.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal suggests that Tokyo Steel could increase its <strong>Return on Equity (ROE) from 2.9% to 8%<\/strong> within three years. Oasis is also urging shareholders to vote against the re-election of President Nara, citing a failure to implement effective capital allocation policies.<\/p>\n<h2>Geopolitical Tensions and the Oil Market<\/h2>\n<p>Oil prices slipped in early trading as <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> signaled a pause in military strikes to pursue a diplomatic deal with Iran. Brent crude futures fell toward <strong>$101 a barrel<\/strong>, down from recent peaks of <strong>$126<\/strong>, as markets reacted to the possibility of reopening the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>However, underlying tensions remain high. A <strong>New York Times<\/strong> report on Monday revealed that Iranian commanders have been studying the flight patterns of <strong>U.S. fighter jets and bombers<\/strong>. Intelligence assessments suggest that <strong>Russia<\/strong> may be assisting Iran in its military planning and the rebuilding of its drone arsenal via the Caspian Sea.<\/p>\n<h2>New Zealand Economic Pressure Mounts<\/h2>\n<p>Economic data from New Zealand paints a challenging picture, with <strong>retail card spending falling 1.3%<\/strong> in April. This decline suggests that high fuel costs and interest rates are severely curbing consumer discretionary spending.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously, the <strong>Producer Price Index (PPI)<\/strong> for the first quarter showed a <strong>1.4% rise in input costs<\/strong>, significantly outpacing the <strong>0.8% rise in output prices<\/strong>. This gap indicates that New Zealand producers are absorbing higher costs, which may lead to further margin compression or delayed price hikes for consumers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Intel (INTC) CEO Lip-Bu Tan reports significant momentum in the company\u2019s foundry business, with reports of a preliminary 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