While carmakers and automotive semiconductor companies hold different views on the outlook for the global car market, industry leader Infineon is optimistic about the future. According to DIGITIMES Research, the growing demand for automotive semiconductors, robust order backlogs and the edge in China's EV sector will further Infineon's revenue growth.

The European market in the third quarter of 2023 was still affected by war-related factors. Although Samsung Electronics maintained its top spot in the European smartphone market, its shipment volume showed warning signs. It experienced a significant 15% year-on-year decline, a far more severe drop than Apple's 3% year-on-year decrease.

In the face of an overall slowdown in the semiconductor industry, the demand for pellicles, crucial for the exposure process, is outstripping supply. This surge is attributed to the growth of China's IC design and wafer foundry industry, coupled with the rise of global AI semiconductor startups. Major players such as Toppan, Portronics, and DNP are aggressively scaling up production capacities, a trend echoed by their South Korean counterparts.

Despite the US' harsher export restrictions on China, chipmakers continue to pursue the Chinese market through localization, joint venture (JV), and subsidiary tactics.

Semiconductor factory engineering and equipment system giant Novatech's general manager, Ma Wei, stated that in response to the company's medium to long-term operational strategy, Novatech will reorganize and merge its subsidiaries in Suzhou, Shanghai, and Singapore. The goal is to be listed on the Chinese stock market by 2027.

Despite the sustained growth in handset exports, primarily fueled by Samsung Electronics and Apple suppliers, India is actively urging China-based smartphone vendors to contribute to export, a goal that has eluded success in previous years.

Nvidia intends to introduce a specialized AI chip for the Chinese market, potentially as early as the first quarter of 2024. Reports from Chinese media indicate that Nvidia's Chinese customers are seeking alternatives because of the significantly reduced performance of the China-focused chip.

A Google cyber security expert warned that Taiwan saw increased cyberattacks from China over the past months, with technology companies among the targets.

The economic downturn has caused the demand for multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) to enter a downturn that it's unlikely to recover from before the end of 2023. It's reported that Semco, a company specializing in MLCC, has been focusing on AI-edge applications and enhancing the high-end automotive MLCC product lineup to boost its business performance.

ChangXin Memory Technology (CXMT), the China-based memory manufacturer, announced the launch of several new LPDDR5 DRAM chips, claiming it is China's first memory brand to self-develop LPDDR5 DRAM, and it is also the first to adopt Package on Package (PoP) technology to assembly its chip.

Supply chain experts note a deceleration in major carmakers' investments in electric vehicle (EV) self-production projects. This shift is attributed not only to considerations of policy impacts on demand but also to the emergence of "alternative solutions."

Amidst supply chain restructuring, the US-China tech conflict, and domestic housing policies impacting China's economic landscape, the world's second-largest economy grapples with a subdued real estate market and a lackluster consumer sector. Surprisingly, the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) experienced a significant surge on November 27th, reaching its highest level in a year and a half for the third consecutive trading day. Analysts attribute this upward trend to an increased demand for iron ore and larger shipping vessels in the market.

Toyota Motor and its two affiliates, Toyota Industries and Aisin plan to sell 10% of their stakes in Denso, the world's second-largest tier-1 automotive supplier. The move likely aims to bring in more cash for the Japanese automaker as it catches up in the EV sector.

Following the US tightening its controls on exports of high-end AI GPUs to China in October 2023, Chinese companies are turning to homegrown AI chips to build their computational infrastructure, leading to potential opportunities for Chinese AI chip startups. Most notably, Enflame Technology and Moore Threads Technology are leveraging the Chinese government's push for the "East Data, West Computing" strategy to propel their AI chip businesses forward.

Samsung Display (SDC) recently started supplying OLED panels to US video game company Valve, the developer behind the video game distribution platform and storefront "Steam." With gaming companies such as Valve and Nintendo beginning to invest in the OLED panel conversion, handheld gaming consoles could emerge as a new source of demand for the South Korean panel industry.