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Wednesday 29 July 2026
TSMC: JASM utilities back to normal, equipment calibration underway; construction resumes

TSMC on Wednesday issued its third statement since a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan on July 28, saying that utility systems at its JASM wafer fab are operating normally, equipment inspection and calibration are in progress, and construction at the site of its second Kumamoto fab has resumed.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
Coretronic reports first-half loss as margins weaken and demand stays uneven
Coretronic said its first-half 2026 performance turned negative as margin pressure and weaker profitability offset a second-quarter revenue recovery. The Taiwanese electronics maker said it would respond cautiously to market changes while focusing on its core businesses, product mix, market position, and technology development.
Wednesday 29 July 2026
Intel Foundry completes US microelectronics prototype program

Intel Foundry has completed a US defense-backed semiconductor prototype program that could have implications for supply chain resilience, national security, and global access to advanced chips. The work, tied to Intel 18A technology, aims to expand trusted domestic manufacturing and could shape how allied governments approach secure chip production.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
Kumamoto quake hits electronics cluster, but impact remains concentrated in inspection-related stoppages
Electronics suppliers across Japan's Kumamoto semiconductor cluster halted production, evacuated employees, or began safety inspections after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the prefecture at 4:27 p.m. on July 28.
Wednesday 29 July 2026
China's first home-grown immersion DUV production reveals real test beyond prototypes
China has begun producing domestically developed immersion deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines, moving a critical semiconductor-equipment programme beyond prototypes and towards limited commercial deployment.
Wednesday 29 July 2026
Corning bets on SiPh and CPO to drive AI data center growth

Corning expects AI infrastructure to become an increasingly powerful growth engine, outlining how its glass technologies will move beyond traditional optical fiber and into silicon photonics (SiPh) and co-packaged optics (CPO) for next-generation AI data centers.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
China chip substitution accelerates as chill effect looms
China's semiconductor self-reliance push has notched new gains, with Chinese AI giants expanding purchases of domestic AI chips and facing direct pressure from Beijing to use more local silicon, market sources say. Industry players say the trend toward chip substitution has been building for years, but whether it truly accelerates will depend on how strong the "chilling effect" becomes.
Wednesday 29 July 2026
ASM raises 2027 revenue outlook as AI-driven chip demand lifts forecast

On July 28, ASM International raised its revenue outlook for 2027 and issued third-quarter guidance above market expectations after reporting higher second-quarter revenue and profit, supported by continued investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure and advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
KLA executives outline growth strategy amid accelerating AI infrastructure demand

During KLA's June 2026 earnings call, held on July 28, executives detailed the company's financial performance and strategic outlook, highlighting a period of record revenue and accelerating investment across the semiconductor ecosystem. CEO Rick Wallace and CFO Bren Higgins addressed several critical topics, including supply chain constraints and the long-term impact of artificial intelligence on wafer fab equipment (WFE) demand.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
KLA raises wafer equipment market outlook as AI investment drives record quarterly revenue

KLA raised its outlook for the global wafer equipment market and forecast record revenue for the current quarter after reporting better-than-guidance fourth-quarter results, citing sustained investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced semiconductor manufacturing, and advanced packaging.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
NXP posts strong 2Q as investors remain cautious on chip outlook

Despite robust performance in the automotive sector and growing demand for artificial intelligence, NXP Semiconductors' second-quarter earnings and third-quarter projections fell short of investor expectations due to cautious market sentiment regarding semiconductor valuations and heightened competition from Chinese chip manufacturers.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
From Silicon Valley to Sicily: Samsung, SK chiefs take Korea's AI supply-chain pitch to Google Camp

A high-level technology gathering in Sicily, reportedly to be attended by the leaders of two of South Korea's largest semiconductor groups, Samsung Electronics and SK Group, is drawing attention to their expanding roles across the AI infrastructure stack.

Wednesday 29 July 2026
Powertech posts record second-quarter revenue and targets a 2026 sales high
Powertech Technology reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of NT$23.116 billion, up 8.5% from the previous quarter and 28% from a year earlier. The Taiwan-based memory and testing provider said the result, lifted by stronger Memory demand, pushed revenue and gross margin to their highest levels since 2022 as it looked toward another full-year record.
Wednesday 29 July 2026
AI, memory clients lock in long-term orders for Leading Technology
Leading Technology, the IC substrate arm of PCB giant Zhen Ding Technology Group, is pressing ahead with plans for a Hong Kong listing as AI and memory customers sign long-term supply deals that tie up Ajinomoto Build-Up Film (ABF) and bismaleimide triazine (BT) substrate capacity through 2028.
Wednesday 29 July 2026
Samsung and SK Hynix hold back on 3D IC; CXMT and Winbond gain
AI demand is driving a sharp rise in inquiries about 3D IC, but some in South Korea say the new technology is unlikely to become a fresh growth engine for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Because 3D DRAM is closer to customized memory, mass production could clash with the scale-based business model that underpins the two memory leaders.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
Magnitude 7.1 quake strikes Japan's Kumamoto; TSMC says JASM staff safe, recovery underway
A powerful earthquake struck Japan's Kyushu region at 4:27 p.m. on July 28. The Japan Meteorological Agency initially estimated the quake at magnitude 7.1 with a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). The strongest shaking was recorded in Uki City and Hikawa Town in Kumamoto Prefecture, reaching seismic intensity 7 on Japan's scale. TSMC's Japan fab in Kikuyo Town experienced an intensity of 5+, and a tsunami warning was issued.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
Display industry earnings season shifts spotlight from panel prices to transformation strategies

Taiwan's display supply chain enters second-quarter earnings season this week, with Coretronic reporting results on July 28, followed by AUO and Radiant Opto-Electronics (ROEC) on July 30 and BenQ Materials (BMC) on July 31.

Tuesday 28 July 2026
China reportedly starts making homegrown DUV chipmaking tools; threatens ASML's stranglehold on semiconductor equipment
China has begun manufacturing domestically developed immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machines, a potential turning point in its effort to build a self-sufficient semiconductor industry free from Western equipment controls.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
Nvidia remaps Asia's AI supply chain, raising fresh questions over Taiwan's edge
Generative AI is reshaping the semiconductor and electronics industries while redefining how global supply chains divide roles across design, manufacturing, infrastructure, and applications.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
Samsung, SK Hynix race to secure chipmaking tools before equipment lead times hit one year
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are considering placing semiconductor equipment orders earlier as a global wave of fab investment stretches delivery times for key chipmaking tools to as much as twice their previous levels.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
Zeiss races to break ASML's EUV optics bottleneck for the AI chip boom
Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology is expanding production capacity in Germany to relieve a critical constraint on ASML's lithography output, with AI data center investment accelerating demand for advanced logic and memory chips.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
Apple, Micron's clash over CXMT puts White House in the middle
Apple and Micron are fighting over whether the smartphone maker can buy memory chips from Chinese manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) for non-US devices, a move opposed by Micron. Both companies are lobbying the administration of US President Donald Trump, which could force him to make an uncomfortable choice between his goals of cheaper prices or domestic chip production.
Tuesday 28 July 2026
EYEQ Lab completes 200mm SiC line validation with yield above 90%

South Korean power semiconductor maker EYEQ Lab has completed mass-production validation of its dedicated 8-inch, or 200mm, silicon carbide (SiC) line in Busan, achieving an average yield above 90%, ET News reported, citing industry sources.

Tuesday 28 July 2026
China's Yunnan Germanium wins long-term InP wafer order as AI optical demand rises
Yunnan Germanium has secured a major supply deal for indium phosphide (InP) wafers, underscoring how AI data center buildouts are reshaping global demand for high-speed optical parts. The contract could bolster the company's revenue base, but execution risks, capacity expansion, and market swings will determine how much benefit reaches investors and customers worldwide.
Monday 27 July 2026
CXMT tops A-share market cap on IPO debut
Chinese DRAM maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) listed on the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange on July 27, with its market capitalization briefly topping CNY3.6 trillion (approx. US$533.1 billion) on the first day of trading, surpassing Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and becoming the largest listed company in the A-share market.