U.S. semiconductor company Intel is set to release its second-quarter earnings on the 23rd (local time). Market attention is focused on this announcement, as it is expected to serve as a critical juncture that will shape investor sentiment across the global semiconductor sector.

The semiconductor industry has recently shown strength driven by expectations of expanded artificial intelligence (AI) investment. However, concerns are simultaneously growing over excessive capital expenditures by major big tech companies and valuation burdens. Amid such mixed market sentiment, Intel's earnings and future business outlook are being evaluated as another benchmark to gauge whether AI infrastructure investment can be sustained.

According to Yahoo Finance estimates, Intel's adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter of this year is expected to come in at $0.21, with revenue at $14.43 billion. Compared to the prior-year period's loss per share of $0.10 and revenue of $12.86 billion, these figures represent a meaningful improvement in both metrics.

Investors are placing greater weight on the second-half guidance rather than simply focusing on the quarterly earnings figures. If the results exceed expectations, there is a possibility that positive investment sentiment could spread not only to global semiconductor companies but also to domestic semiconductor stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Conversely, there are also observations that if earnings disappoint or a conservative outlook is presented, profit-taking pressure could intensify across the entire semiconductor sector.

Given that assessments of the scale and profitability of AI investment were mixed in the market following the earnings releases by Tesla and Alphabet, Intel's results are also expected to act as a key variable in determining the sustainability of the AI investment cycle. Accordingly, some market participants are keeping a close eye on the immediate market reaction following the earnings release.

[This article is not intended to solicit investment. The final judgment and responsibility for all investments lie with the investor.]