Intel crashed 13% despite beating earnings.
This isn't just about Intel.
It's a WARNING SHOT for every tech stock that's run 50-200% and is "priced for perfection."
Here's who's next... 🧵
The Intel playbook:
✅ Stock runs 145% on "turnaround story"
✅ Analysts upgrade (14 upgrades in Q4)
✅ Retail FOMO's in at highs
✅ Company beats earnings
❌ Guidance disappoints
💥 Stock craters
This is going to repeat.
Who's vulnerable:
Criteria:
Up 100%+ in past year
Trading at >30x forward earnings
"Story" driven more than fundamentals
Earnings coming up in next month
Names that fit:
Nvidia (NVDA)
Up 180% (2024-2025)
Forward P/E: 35x
Earnings: Feb 26
The risk:
If they guide cautiously due to:
China export restrictions
AI spending slowdown
Competition from AMD/custom chips
Stock could pull back 15-20% EVEN ON A BEAT.
Tesla (TSLA)
Up 60% since November lows
Forward P/E: 85x (insane)
Earnings: Next week
The risk:
Auto margins compressing
Cybertruck problems
EV demand slowing
Elon distraction with politics/DOGE
Priced for perfection. ANY miss = -20%.
AMD (AMD)
Up 95% in past year
Forward P/E: 28x
Earnings: Jan 28
The risk:
Same as Intel—supply constraints, execution issues, or cautious guidance.
If INTC got destroyed on supply issues, AMD isn't immune.
What's DIFFERENT about this earnings season:
2024: Fed cutting, economy strong, AI hype peak
→ Stocks rallied even on misses
2026: Fed paused, economy slowing, AI "show me" phase
→ Stocks punished for ANY disappointment
The bar is HIGHER. Forgiveness is LOWER.
The defensive tech plays:
Microsoft (MSFT):
Diversified revenue
Enterprise AI (real revenue, not hype)
Reasonable valuation (31x forward)
Strong balance sheet
Apple (AAPL):
Services revenue growing
Loyal customer base
$165B cash
Trading at 28x (not cheap but not insane)
The takeaway:
Intel's crash is a PREVIEW, not an outlier.
Every tech stock up 100%+ is vulnerable if:
Guidance disappoints
Execution stumbles
Macro weakens
Strategy:
✅ Trim winners that have run hard
✅ Rotate to quality at reasonable valuations
✅ Hold cash for post-earnings dips
❌ Don't FOMO into high-flyers before earnings
The market just showed you what happens to "priced for perfection" stocks.
Believe it.
We're 24 days into 2026.
Let me show you what's happened—and why this month will define the entire year... 🧵
2/ Jan 2-3: Markets open year with uncertainty
Santa Claus rally FAILED to materialize
"January Barometer" (84% accurate) started shaky
Lesson: 2026 won't be like 2025's "everything up" year
3/ Jan 6-9: CES 2026, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang keynote
AI hype still strong
But focus shifting from software to PRACTICAL applications
"Show me revenue" phase beginning
Lesson: AI narrative maturing, speculation fading
Next Tuesday-Wednesday: Fed meeting.
Expected rate decision: NO CHANGE (3.50-3.75% holds).
Markets pricing: 0% chance of cut.
So why does it matter?
Because Powell's COMMENTARY could move markets more than Intel earnings did. Here's why... 🧵
What Powell will address: 1. The DOJ Criminal Investigation
Will he mention it? Defend himself? Stay silent?
His response (or non-response) matters for Fed credibility.
Silence = letting accusations stand
Defense = appearing political
Either way = awkward
The SCOTUS Case (Trump v. Cook)
Oral arguments suggested Fed independence will be preserved.
But ruling hasn't come yet.
If Powell comments:
"We're confident in our independence" = Reassuring
"We're monitoring the situation" = Concerning
Let me show you the most important chart of 2026:
Gold: +9% this week, +77% past year, at ALL-TIME HIGHS
S&P 500: Flat this week, +16% past year, near highs but struggling
This divergence is SCREAMING something. Here's what... 🧵
Normally, gold and stocks move INVERSELY:
Stocks UP → Risk on → Gold down
Stocks DOWN → Risk off → Gold up
But right now:
Stocks: Flat to slightly up
Gold: MOONING
This is rare. And important.
What it signals:
Investors are saying:
"I want to own equities (growth potential) BUT I also need insurance (gold) because I don't trust the system."
Translation: Hedged optimism or nervous bull market
What a week.
Tuesday: Dow -870 points (panic)
Wednesday: SCOTUS saves Fed (relief)
Thursday: Intel crashes despite beat (reality)
Friday: Gold hits $4,967 (new paradigm)
Here are the 7 lessons that will define the rest of 2026... 🧵
Lesson 1: Headlines Create Volatility, Not Direction
Tuesday's -870 point crash was driven by:
Greenland tariff fears
Fed independence concerns
By Friday:
Tariffs canceled
Fed likely protected
Markets HIGHER than Monday
Takeaway: Don't trade headlines.
Gold just hit $4,967—a new all-time high.
Up 9% THIS WEEK ALONE.
Best weekly performance since March 2020 (COVID crash).
And 90% of investors still don't own it. Here's what's happening... 🧵
The week's price action:
Monday (Jan 20): $4,580 (Trump inauguration)
Tuesday (Jan 21): $4,720 (SCOTUS Fed case)
Wednesday (Jan 22): $4,800 (Europe tariff threats)
Thursday (Jan 23): $4,928 (record)
Friday (Jan 24): $4,967 (NEW record)
+8.4% in ONE WEEK.
What's driving this parabolic move:
Thursday: Trump CANCELS Europe tariffs, claims "total permanent access to Greenland via NATO deal"
Wait... shouldn't gold DROP on de-escalation?
It rallied instead.
Why?
Intel just delivered the PERFECT example of why you don't hold stocks up 145% into earnings.
Beat Q4. Stock crashed 13% anyway.
Here's the $100 billion market cap lesson everyone needs to learn... 🧵
The Q4 results were GOOD:
Revenue: $13.7B (beat $13.4B estimate)
EPS: $0.15 (beat $0.09 estimate)
AI business: "Double-digit growth" sequentially and YoY
By any normal measure, this was a solid quarter.
Stock should rally, right?
Wrong.
Because Wall Street doesn't care about LAST quarter when stock's up 145% in a year.
They care about NEXT quarter.
And that's where Intel got destroyed.