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Oct 13
China's golden week holiday boosts travel, but electronics sales stall
China's eight-day Golden Week holiday saw a record number of travelers hit the roads and rails, but the spending spree ended there. The hoped-for boom in consumer electronics never materialized, leaving retailers with sluggish sales and signaling that Chinese households are prioritizing experiences over goods amid a shaky economic recovery.
Samsung Electronics announced on October 14 that its consolidated revenue for the third quarter of 2025 is expected to reach KRW86 trillion (US$60.25 billion), with operating profit anticipated at KRW12.1 trillion, according to its preliminary results. The figures represent a 15.3% increase in revenue and a 158.6% rise in operating profit from the previous quarter, and an 8.7% and 31.8% increase year-on-year, respectively.
OpenAI and Broadcom have announced a wide-ranging collaboration to co-develop and deploy 10GW of custom AI accelerators, marking one of the largest hardware initiatives yet in the artificial intelligence sector.
OpenAI's Sora, a new product aimed to be "AI TikTok", has sparked concerns that the company is drifting from its original mission to benefit humanity. However, CEO Sam Altman insists that Sora helps fund the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and does not conflict with OpenAI's nonprofit goals.
OpenAI continues to expand aggressively, while its main rival Anthropic struggles to match its influence and valuation. However, Anthropic still holds significant sway in software development. Its recent partnerships with tech giants Microsoft and IBM demonstrate promising potential in the enterprise market.
Yen Sun Technology (YS Tech) has completed a new factory in Kaohsiung as it moves to capitalize on the booming demand for AI server cooling systems. The company announced that mass production at the new facility is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026.
Ubiqconn Technology has reported an unaudited consolidated revenue of NT$133 million (approx. US$4.33 million) for September 2025, down 32% sequentially but up 20% year-over-year. The accumulated revenue for January to September 2025 reached NT$1.63 billion, marking a 6% increase over the same period last year, with overall operations remaining steady.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been a fixture in the headlines in the past two weeks, securing partnerships with AMD, Samsung Group, and SK Group, and signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the South Korean government to support the country's AI transformation and ecosystem development. However, obstacles still hinder the widespread adoption of AI, with a recent survey revealing that enterprises still cannot fully trust GenAI.
Tatung's revenue momentum continued to strengthen in September 2025, sustaining the company's overall growth trajectory. The company benefited from strong performance in its electronics manufacturing business, particularly with new mini-PC products, as well as growing collaboration with international brands and industry peers. Robust ODM order shipments in its electronics manufacturing division, along with active deliveries from its power and renewable energy systems business in alignment with customer timelines, were key drivers supporting steady revenue growth.
Broadband equipment supplier Twoway Communications continues to focus on its two core businesses — broadband transmission equipment and smart networking AIoT applications. In particular, the company has actively expanded its AIoT business in recent years, with increasing order momentum contributing significantly to overall revenue through September 2025.
Lianyou Metals has benefited from the continued rise in international tungsten and cobalt prices, boosting its performance in the rare metal recycling and smelting market.
The Institute of Physics of Microstructures of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPM RAS) has recently announced a long-term roadmap for the development of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system. The plan aims to create a Russian-made EUV machine operating at an 11.2nm wavelength.