Hua Hong Semiconductor struck a cautious yet confident tone in its second quarter 2025 earnings call, addressing tariff risks, pricing adjustments, and global partnerships while reaffirming its China-for-China strategy and power semiconductor strengths amid signs of margin recovery

On late August 7, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) posted mixed financial results for the second quarter of 2025, reflecting sequential softness but continued year-over-year recovery. The company also offered a cautiously optimistic outlook for the third quarter, expecting modest growth in revenue and a slight dip in margins

Hua Hong Semiconductor reported second-quarter 2025 revenue of US$566.1 million, marking an 18% year-over-year increase, driven by strong momentum in its 12-inch wafer business. Net income reached US$7.95 million, up 19% from the same period last year, while gross margin improved slightly to 10.9% from 10.5%

Samsung is deepening its collaboration with Tesla, moving beyond self-driving systems into humanoid robotics. After winning a contract to supply next-generation AI chips, Samsung Electronics' affiliate Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) reportedly will provide camera modules for Tesla's Optimus robot, signaling the group's broader ambitions in physical AI

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are actively competing to acquire the Japanese home appliance division of Hitachi. For Samsung, this marks a return to the Japanese home appliance market after an 18-year hiatus. For LG, it represents an excellent opportunity to expand its home appliance business in Japan. With fierce competition from Chinese companies, the stagnating growth of the South Korean and Japanese home appliance industries appears to be prompting both sides to initiate a new chapter of cooperation

Malaysia has agreed to invest more than US$240 billion in the US as part of negotiations aimed at reducing tariffs imposed on Malaysian goods from 25% to 19%. The details were disclosed by Zafrul Aziz, Malaysia's Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), during a parliamentary briefing. The agreement involves substantial high-tech purchases and other trade-related commitments over the next decade

As Samsung Display (SDC) secures its first-ever OLED panel order for Apple's MacBook, Chinese panel maker Beijing Oriental Electronics (BOE) is positioning itself to target any supply gaps, pushing to become a supplier for OLED panels used in iPads. If successful, this could threaten South Korea's dominance in OLED technology

Smart energy brand HD Renewable Energy's (HDRE) business footprint covers Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, with an overseas total target capacity reaching 6GW. As the group rapidly expanded its scale, HDRE announced an organizational upgrade on August 5, 2025

Once the loudest champions of an all-electric future, German luxury automakers are quietly backpedaling. Under pressure from shifting global emissions regulations, tightening US tariffs, and mounting losses in the Chinese EV market, brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen Group are moving away from their previous "all-electric" stance and pivoting toward a more pragmatic, dual-power hybrid strategy

Fujifilm Holdings posted an operating profit of JPY75.2 billion (approx. US$510 million) for the April–June 2025 quarter, a 21% year-over-year increase and the second straight quarterly record. The gains were driven by strong demand in semiconductor materials and digital imaging products

Dixon Technologies has signed a master services agreement with Tech Mahindra to deploy Industry 4.0 technologies across its manufacturing plants and R&D centers in India. The partnership aims to drive Dixon's digital transformation by implementing AI-led automation and smart factory solutions

Amid intensifying US-China tech rivalry, China is accelerating its push for semiconductor self-reliance. Huawei's chip unit HiSilicon has stepped into the smartphone touch and display IC arena with its in-house Zhuque OLED driver chip, signaling a shift toward vertically integrated, system-level solutions under the Huawei umbrella

Amid US sanctions on China, South Korean battery production has attracted significant attention. With LG Energy Solution (LGES) recently securing a large contract for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, the company is officially entering competition with Chinese manufacturers. However, in a global market without sanctions, South Korean firms still face challenges related to pricing and technological capabilities when competing against their Chinese counterparts

Japanese manufacturer Rohm experienced a significant drop in operating profit during the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. However, the company has decided to accelerate the launch of its next-generation silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors to respond to competitive pressure from Chinese manufacturers

US President Donald Trump's declaration of 100% tariffs on all chip imports has sent shockwaves through South Korean semiconductor firms Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc