Intel stock popped on Friday on a report the US government could take a stake in the ailing chip company.

Shares of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) are soaring this week, up 24.1% as of 3:13 p.m. ET. The spike comes as the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) was up 1%, and the Nasdaq-100 was up 0.5%.

Enthusiasm for a potential U.S. government stake in Intel Corp. is pushing the chip maker's stock toward its best week in 50 years. Intel shares were up 6.8% in Friday trading, on top of a 7.4% rise in Thursday's session.