Stock Market Today: Nasdaq Surges as DOJ Drops Powell Probe and Intel Stock Soars 22%
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- The DOJ dropped its criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell on April 24, 2026, removing a major cloud of institutional uncertainty that had unsettled markets since January.
- Intel (INTC) stock surged approximately 22–24% — potentially its best single-day gain since 1987 — after Q1 2026 revenue of $13.6 billion crushed Wall Street’s estimate of $12.4 billion by over $1 billion.
- The Nasdaq Composite climbed ~1.5% and the S&P 500 gained ~0.7% on April 24, 2026, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped roughly 0.3%.
- Intel’s Data Center and AI segment grew 22% year-over-year to $5.1 billion, confirming that its dramatic comeback is driven by real AI infrastructure demand.
What Happened
April 24, 2026 handed investors two pieces of headline news that, together, sent technology stocks rallying and gave the broader stock market today a meaningful lift. The first came from Washington: the U.S. Department of Justice announced it was closing its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The probe centered on a $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s Washington D.C. headquarters and allegations that Powell provided false congressional testimony about cost overruns — a controversy that had rattled bond and equity markets since January 2026. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed the closure but was careful to add that she would “not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation should the facts warrant doing so,” leaving a thread of legal ambiguity. Still, the immediate political obstacle was gone.
The second headline was pure Wall Street spectacle: Intel delivered a blowout earnings quarter. The chipmaker reported Q1 2026 revenue of $13.6 billion, up 7% year-over-year, smashing the analyst consensus of $12.4 billion. Non-GAAP EPS (earnings per share, or the profit attributed to each share of stock) came in at $0.29 versus an expected loss of $0.01. Intel also guided Q2 2026 revenue of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion with adjusted EPS of $0.20 — again, well above analyst expectations of $13.07 billion in revenue and $0.09 EPS. The market’s reaction was swift: Intel stock surged approximately 22–24%, in what may be its best single-day performance since 1987.
On the broader stock market today, the Nasdaq Composite climbed approximately 1.5% and the S&P 500 gained around 0.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped roughly 0.3%, weighed down by more defensive, slower-moving companies that tend to lag when tech leads the charge. Additional tailwinds came from reports that Iran nuclear talks were restarting, which contributed to a broader “risk-on” tone — meaning investors felt more comfortable holding growth assets rather than retreating to safe havens like bonds or gold.
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Why It Matters for Your Investment Portfolio
Think of the Federal Reserve as the engine room of the entire economy. It controls interest rates, which determine how much it costs to borrow money — for mortgages, car loans, business expansions, and more. When there is political drama swirling around the Fed’s leadership, investors get nervous. An unpredictable central bank is a bit like flying on a plane with a distracted pilot: even if nothing goes wrong, the uncertainty alone raises stress levels and tends to push stock prices lower.
By dropping the Powell investigation, the DOJ removed one of those sources of institutional friction that had been quietly weighing on your investment portfolio since early 2026. Markets dislike uncertainty more than almost any other condition. The closure also significantly clears the path for Senate confirmation of Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee for the next Fed Chair. Warsh testified before the Senate on April 21, notably stating he would not be President Trump’s “sock puppet” and that the president had never directly demanded rate cuts from him — a clear signal of intended independence. Senator Thom Tillis had placed an effective hold on Warsh’s confirmation pending the investigation’s resolution, so today’s news has implications for financial planning well beyond a single trading session.
Now for the Intel story — because it is really a masterclass in how government policy, corporate strategy, and AI trends can converge to transform a struggling company. Intel received over $20 billion in CHIPS Act government backing, and as of April 24, the U.S. government’s equity stake in Intel had swelled to approximately $35 billion, representing an unrealized gain of roughly $26.5 billion for taxpayers. Intel stock is up approximately 80–100% year-to-date in 2026, making it one of the top-performing large-cap tech stocks of the year. That’s not a typo.
Here is the plain-English version of what that means: if you held Intel shares at the start of 2026, you have roughly doubled your money in four months. That is exceptional. But it also raises a core personal finance question worth asking yourself: after a run like that, is the stock still fairly priced, or has the easy money already been made? The answer hinges largely on what you believe about AI infrastructure spending. Intel’s Data Center and AI segment grew 22% year-over-year to $5.1 billion in Q1 2026, driven by accelerating demand for Xeon processors as companies race to build the servers that power AI applications. Every chatbot, recommendation engine, and drug-discovery platform running today needs chips. If AI infrastructure spending continues at its current pace — and most forecasts suggest it will — Intel’s revenue growth has structural legs. For your investment portfolio, understanding that thesis is essential before making any move.
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The AI Angle
Intel’s Q1 2026 earnings are not just a company story — they are a signal about the evolving shape of AI investing. The 22% year-over-year growth in Intel’s Data Center and AI segment reflects a structural shift: the AI boom is no longer confined to software companies like OpenAI or Anthropic. It is now embedded in hardware, chip manufacturing, and physical infrastructure that must be built out at massive scale.
For investors using AI investing tools to track market trends, today’s Intel surge is a useful case study. Platforms such as Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating system use machine learning to score stocks based on earnings momentum and valuation signals in real time, giving retail investors access to institutional-grade analysis that was once reserved for Wall Street. Similarly, Bloomberg’s AI-powered earnings estimator surfaces whisper numbers (informal forecasts that traders use before official earnings releases) that can help you spot a brewing surprise before the market does. AI investing tools like these are reshaping personal finance by democratizing data access.
The Intel story also illustrates why financial planning in the AI era means paying attention to chip supply chains, not just app stores. As AI models grow more compute-intensive, demand for advanced processors will accelerate — and that has ripple effects across the entire stock market today and into the years ahead.
What Should You Do? 3 Action Steps
If you have not checked your investment portfolio recently, today’s market action is a useful prompt. A surge like Intel’s can quickly make a portfolio more tech-heavy than you intended — a concept called portfolio drift (when your actual asset mix shifts away from your target because some holdings grew faster than others). Log into your brokerage account and check your allocation. If tech now represents a larger slice of your pie than you are comfortable with, consider trimming gradually rather than all at once. Rebalancing is a basic financial planning habit that keeps your risk level aligned with your goals.
A 22–24% single-day surge is extraordinary, and it is tempting to jump in after seeing those numbers flash across your screen. But a foundational rule of personal finance is to avoid “buying the hype” after a stock has already moved dramatically. Instead, research Intel’s current valuation using its P/E ratio (the stock price divided by annual earnings per share) and compare it to semiconductor peers. Intel stock is already up 80–100% year-to-date in 2026. If you are genuinely interested in the AI-chip thesis, consider a small, disciplined position in a diversified semiconductor ETF (a fund that holds many chip stocks at once) rather than concentrating in a single name at a potential peak.
With Kevin Warsh’s confirmation path now significantly clearer, the Federal Reserve’s direction for the next 12–18 months may shift in subtle but important ways. This has real implications for interest rates, mortgage costs, bond yields, and by extension your savings and financial planning strategy. You do not need to predict where rates go — that is notoriously difficult even for professionals. But staying informed through reliable AI investing tools like the Federal Reserve’s own FRED economic database or Morningstar’s economic calendar means you will not be caught off guard when policy shifts ripple through to your day-to-day finances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Intel (INTC) stock still a good investment after its 22% single-day gain in April 2026?
Intel’s 22–24% surge on April 24, 2026, following blowout Q1 earnings of $13.6 billion, raises a fair question about whether the stock has gotten ahead of itself. Intel is up approximately 80–100% year-to-date, and its Q2 2026 guidance of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion in revenue suggests continued momentum. Supporters point to the 22% growth in its Data Center and AI segment and the structural tailwind of AI infrastructure buildout. Skeptics note that stocks that have already doubled carry higher risk if growth disappoints. Any investment decision should weigh current valuation, your personal risk tolerance, and your time horizon. This article does not constitute financial advice — please consult a qualified financial advisor before acting on any information here.
How does the DOJ dropping the Powell investigation affect interest rates and the stock market today?
The investigation closure removes a significant source of institutional uncertainty. The probe, which centered on a $2.5 billion Fed headquarters renovation and alleged false congressional testimony about cost overruns, had quietly unsettled bond markets since January 2026. With it dropped, Kevin Warsh’s Senate confirmation as the next Fed Chair becomes far more likely. Warsh has signaled an intent to maintain the Fed’s independence. A stable, predictable Fed is generally positive for both stocks and bonds, particularly for interest-rate-sensitive sectors like real estate and utilities. However, U.S. Attorney Pirro’s statement that she could restart the investigation introduces residual ambiguity around Powell’s remaining tenure.
What does Intel’s AI data center growth mean for beginner investors looking at semiconductor stocks in 2026?
Intel’s Data Center and AI segment growing 22% year-over-year to $5.1 billion in Q1 2026 is a clear sign that AI infrastructure spending is flowing heavily into hardware. For beginner investors, the takeaway is that the AI boom has multiple layers — software applications on top, but semiconductor chips and data center equipment underneath. Semiconductor stocks tend to be cyclical (meaning they boom and bust with the broader technology spending cycle), so they can be more volatile than the broader market. If you want exposure to this theme in your investment portfolio without concentrating in one stock, a semiconductor-focused ETF is typically a more risk-appropriate starting point.
How should I adjust my financial planning if Federal Reserve leadership changes in late 2026?
A transition from Jerome Powell to Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair could influence the direction of interest rates, though Warsh has publicly committed to institutional independence and stated that Trump never directly demanded rate cuts. For your financial planning, the variables to watch are: whether rates stay elevated or begin to decline, how bond yields respond to the leadership transition, and how the new chair communicates policy decisions to markets. Practically speaking, if rates fall, borrowing becomes cheaper and bond prices rise — which may benefit your mortgage, savings rate, and fixed-income holdings. Rather than making dramatic portfolio changes based on speculation, focus on maintaining a diversified allocation that can weather multiple rate scenarios.
What are the best AI investing tools for tracking earnings surprises and stock market news in real time in 2026?
Several platforms now offer AI-powered research tools designed for retail investors. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating system uses machine learning to score stocks on momentum, valuation, and earnings revision signals. The Federal Reserve’s FRED database is a free resource for tracking macroeconomic indicators like inflation, unemployment, and interest rates. Morningstar’s economic calendar flags key upcoming events that could move markets. For more advanced users, Bloomberg’s AI-powered earnings estimator surfaces consensus and whisper estimates before official releases. The key is to treat AI investing tools as research aids that inform your thinking — not as automatic buy or sell signals. Sound personal finance still requires combining data with your own judgment and, where appropriate, advice from a licensed financial professional.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All data referenced reflects information available as of April 24, 2026. Always consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.
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