Santa Clara (USA) - More than 20 percent of Intel's workforce is to be cut in response to the US chip manufacturer 's financial difficulties.

Intel has not yet made an official statement, but the news agency Bloomberg has spoken to an insider.

According to this, over 21,000 people could lose their jobs.

This would be the first major move by the new Intel boss Lip-Bu Tan, who took over the reins just last month.

The tech giant had already downsized by almost 16,000 employees last August.

What this drastic stepmeans for the postponed construction of the factories in Ohio and Magdeburg remains to be seen.