GlobalFoundries' third quarter showed the contract chipmaker's revenue base shifting from smartphones to AI-related networking, and that shift is now boosting profitability. Revenue rose 13% from a year earlier to US$1.9 billion for the three months ended September 30, according to the company's November 4 earnings release, while IFRS gross margin widened to 30.1%.

Taiwan and the Netherlands announced four joint research and development collaborations on November 4 under their bilateral Technology Bridge Program, targeting photonic packaging, 5G and 6G communications, AI data center connectivity, and quantum computing. The agreements were unveiled during PIC Summit Europe as both sides sought to deepen semiconductor cooperation and strengthen supply chain resilience despite having no formal diplomatic relations.

HCLTech said AI chips will need about 1.5 years to move into mass adoption beyond cloud infrastructure, as the industry develops integrated semiconductor platforms to support large-scale AI deployment. The company made the remarks in a white paper released with Omdia on November 3, which highlights Taiwan's key role in powering the next phase of AI infrastructure growth.

ASML and TSMC announced plans in September 2026, ahead of the SPIE BACUS symposium, to advance high-numerical-aperture extreme ultraviolet (High NA EUV) lithography by replacing the decades-old 6-inch photomask format with larger 12-inch masks. TSMC plans to introduce High NA EUV into advanced-node volume production from 2030, establish a 12-inch mask pilot line and begin production-line and ecosystem qualification by 2031, and achieve full readiness for 12-inch-mask High NA EUV systems supporting advanced-node manufacturing by 2033.

AI expansion and rising household electricity demand are pushing Taiwan's power consumption higher, with Taipower forecasting that the Southern Taiwan Science Park's electricity load will reach about 4GW in 2031, accounting for 9% of Taiwan's total power use. Taiwan's electricity consumption per unit of land is already about 2.7 times Japan's and 1.3 times South Korea's, Taipower said.

Onsemi has agreed to acquire Ferric, Inc., a developer of integrated voltage regulator (IVR) technology, for US$600 million in cash plus up to US$175 million in contingent consideration tied to revenue milestones, the company announced on November 2, 2026. Alongside the deal, Onsemi raised its 2030 AI data center revenue target by US$500 million to more than US$3 billion.

Worldwide semiconductor revenue reached US$517.7 billion in the third quarter of 2026, a 24.1% increase from the prior quarter, according to data released by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) on Tuesday.

Marvell Technology and optical communications laser maker Lumentum announced on November 2 that they had signed a definitive agreement for Marvell to acquire Lumentum in an all-stock transaction. Compound semiconductor maker GCS welcomed the deal, saying it will give Marvell's optoelectronics business a more complete product portfolio.

Samsung Electronics plans to produce high-bandwidth memory (HBM) base dies for AMD at its second foundry plant in Taylor, Texas, with the US chipmaker accounting for most of the facility's planned output, South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper reported on November 3, citing industry sources. The report said the plant would also supply Nvidia, although Samsung has not confirmed either customer's orders.

Samsung Electronics' and SK Hynix's dependence on sustained AI infrastructure spending is bringing customer financing risk into focus. As demand for high-bandwidth memory and server DRAM lifts their businesses, industry discussion of possible financial support for AI customers raises a further issue: protecting future chip orders could also expose suppliers to customers' investment risks.

Onsemi is pitching its AI data center business as a play on the entire power path inside an AI rack, and for now it is prioritizing that business and industrial customers over automotive restocking. On its third-quarter 2026 earnings call, the US chipmaker repeated that AI data center revenue should double in 2027 from a higher 2026 base. It also guided automotive revenue down by a high single-digit percentage in the fourth quarter, which management called a supply decision, not a strategic one.

Dutch chipmaker Nexperia is seeking US$2 billion in damages from its Chinese owner Wingtech and three other defendants, alleging they established a competing supply chain in China that disrupted its business.

Bosch plans to create a dedicated semiconductor division as it seeks more business in robotics, AI infrastructure, and manufacturing for external customers, extending a chip strategy rooted in automotive electronics into additional markets.

Screen Holdings is expanding production of semiconductor cleaning equipment with a JPY25 billion (US$157.53 million) site in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, while raising its capex budget for the year ending March 2027 to JPY58 billion (US$367.33 million). The new facility is scheduled to begin operating in January 2028.

AMD's third-quarter results show its data center business becoming the main driver of growth and profitability, even as gaming demand retreats. The next test is whether a steep expansion in AI systems and server processors can deliver stronger cash generation without eroding the margins underpinning that growth.

Macronix (MXIC) chairman Miin Wu said the memory shortage will continue through 2030, with prices unlikely to weaken from current levels as production capacity becomes a scarce resource. He also disclosed for the first time that Macronix is considering an acquisition or partnership, with a new strategic direction potentially emerging within six months.

Since Powerchip founder Frank Huang passed away on July 31, 2026, changes to the ownership and management control of Powerchip Holding have remained a market focus. A dispute has now erupted over an alleged NT$13.6 billion (US$415.4 million) campaign to solicit shares in Powerchip Holding, renewing concerns over corporate control, funding sources, and technology security in Taiwan's technology sector.

MediaTek CEO Rick Tsai delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of Taiwan Weeks 2026 on November 3, emphasizing that the company is expanding beyond smartphone and connectivity chips into computing, automotive, and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. He also noted that Nvidia and Alphabet's recent investment in MediaTek convertible bonds represents more than just capital injections, but also confidence in MediaTek from leading global AI players.

South Korea should tie government support for new semiconductor fabs to commitments that benefit domestic chip designers, equipment makers, and packaging suppliers, a state-funded researcher proposed on November 2, a move that could influence chipmakers' sourcing decisions if adopted.

Onsemi reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter 2026 results, driven by accelerating demand for power management solutions in AI data centers and industrial applications, as the semiconductor supplier continued to improve profitability through operational restructuring and higher-value products.

Sherman, a city north of Dallas, has emerged as a possible site for TSMC's next US chip plant, with Texas development documents describing a proposed US$45 billion investment in two semiconductor fabs by an unidentified manufacturer.

China's outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) companies entered the fourth quarter with rising sales, high utilization, and an industry-wide price upturn. Their third-quarter results also show how much reported profit growth rests on investment gains and lower taxes, and how heavily the sector is now spending to close an advanced packaging gap that AI demand has exposed.

Geopolitical tensions, volatile crude oil prices, and tightening sustainability requirements are reshaping the global chemical industry, creating new challenges and opportunities for Taiwan's specialty chemicals sector. Against this backdrop, the government-funded Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) forecasts that Taiwan's specialty chemicals output will reach NT$185.7 billion (US$5.7 billion) in 2026, up 10.9% from 2025, partly driven by higher oil prices pushing up specialty chemical prices.

South Korea plans to bring new semiconductor fabs into operation at least two years ahead of schedule by speeding up construction approvals and infrastructure development, as the government seeks to support KRW1,600 trillion (approx. US$1.2 trillion) in planned private investment, Yonhap reported on November 2.

Apple said the main supply constraint in its fiscal fourth quarter 2026, ended September 26, was the availability of leading-edge process capacity for its in-house chips. It said the constraint is easing as more of its products move to 2nm technology.