Shares of (NASDAQ: INTC) were curiously on the rise today, up 3.2% in Thursday trading even as most other semiconductor stocks were down markedly on the day.

When U.S.-China tensions rise, it can cause a broad sell-off in most semiconductor stocks. That was also true today, as it was reported yesterday China may ban government agencies from using iPhones. That not only caused a sell-off in Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) but also in a host of its suppliers and semiconductor equipment stocks as well.

The sell-off may or may not have merit, with some analysts calling the worries "overblown." Still, when U.S.-China tensions mount, it is often Intel that actually sees gains as others lose.

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Source Fool.com