Intel Surges on High-NA EUV Milestone, AI Demand

Intel Corporation shares surged on Tuesday, with the stock opening significantly higher following an announcement detailing a major manufacturing milestone achieved in collaboration with ASML Holding. The companies confirmed that over one million wafers have now been processed using ASML's next-generation High-NA Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology. This achievement is seen as a critical step in scaling Intel's 18A process and developing future artificial intelligence-focused chips, such as those codenamed Panther Lake. The milestone positions Intel years ahead of competitors in utilizing this advanced lithography, a key component for manufacturing increasingly sophisticated processors. Intel Foundry and ASML stated that the High-NA EUV technology is meeting performance goals for overlay precision, production throughput, and equipment uptime on selected layers of Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 processors. ASML's CEO Christophe Fouquet described Intel as a leader in adopting the technology, which is deployed on Intel's 18A manufacturing process.