Intel’s Surge, FOMO, and the Investor’s Mindset

Intel’s Sudden Rally

One of the most striking developments in the market recently has been Intel’s (INTC) sharp surge.

Following Nvidia’s investment announcement, Intel’s stock price soared more than 20% in a short span of time.

For long-time shareholders, this was a long-awaited reward after enduring years of stagnation and decline.

On the flip side, investors who missed this rally may have been gripped by regret and FOMO—the fear of missing out.

But moments like this call for composure. Intel’s rally was not something technical charts or routine analysis could have predicted. It was the result of a rare, unexpected event.

INTC: A Reward for Holders

Intel has long been a leading name in the semiconductor industry, but in recent years it lost ground to rivals like Nvidia and AMD.

Its stock lost appeal, and many investors moved on.

Then came Nvidia’s strategic investment announcement, coupled with news of the U.S. government acquiring a stake, which acted as a powerful catalyst.

Such unpredictable catalysts inevitably benefit those already holding the stock. No amount of chart analysis or financial modeling could have forecasted this in advance.

Like Discovering a Friend Is an Heir

From an investor’s perspective, this situation is akin to discovering that an ordinary friend is, in fact, the heir to a major conglomerate.

The moment you learn that fact, your perception of the friend changes entirely. But there’s almost no way you could have known it beforehand.

Investing works the same way.

Unless you have insider information, predicting these kinds of “lucky news events” ahead of time is virtually impossible.

Rather than dwelling on “Why did I miss this?”, investors need the mindset of simply acknowledging, “These things happen,” and moving on.

Why Managing Investor Psychology Matters

The biggest risk in such events isn’t missing out itself, but the regret that follows.

Regret drives emotional decision-making—and emotions are poison for investors.

Regret over missing out → reckless chasing Sudden surges → irrational expectations Fear of opportunity loss → excessive leverage

These psychological traps often lead to losses.

Seasoned investors know how to accept missed opportunities as part of the game.

Conclusion: Learn to Move On

There are two kinds of opportunities in investing:

Those you can capture through analysis and preparation, and Those that arise from unpredictable, random events.

Intel’s surge belongs to the second category. Missing it is not a sign of weak investment skills.

Instead, such events serve as reminders that markets will always contain variables beyond our control.

Stock investing is a game built on uncertainty.

The moment you believe you can control everything is when you expose yourself to the greatest risk.

The lesson from Intel’s case is simple:

“Some opportunities just happen. Move on.”

“Focus on your own preparation and invest according to your principles.”

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