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Feb 13
TSMC and memory makers boost capex to offset China export restrictions impact
TSMC raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to US$52-56 billion, driving strong demand in the global semiconductor supply chain amid AI growth. Memory giants SK Hynix, Micron, Nanya Technology, and Winbond also expanded capacity plans.

The global memory industry is facing its most severe supply crunch in more than a decade. DRAM and NAND prices are rising at record speed, while high-bandwidth memory capacity is increasingly absorbed by artificial intelligence data centers.

The Pentagon briefly published an updated list of Chinese companies alleged to have ties to the People’s Liberation Army, then withdrew it within an hour. The episode highlights Washington’s attempt to ease trade tensions with Beijing while maintaining pressure on technology and national security ahead of an expected April meeting between President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Apple has reportedly agreed to double the unit price it pays for NAND flash from Japan's Kioxia starting in the January–March quarter, with supply contracts moving to quarterly price adjustments linked to market conditions.

RISC-V gains traction in automotive and industrial markets despite ecosystem risks, while India's tech landscape sees heightened AI, semiconductor and smartphone activity—from Phison Electronics CEO Khein-seng Pua meeting Narendra Modi and Anthropic's trademark dispute, to Xiaomi's premium push, the launch of PRITVI-ACE by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, expanded deep tech support, and an arbitration case between Wingtech Technology and Luxshare Precision

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of February 9 to February 16, 2026. This week's coverage spans HBM3 and HBM4 capacity shifts, AI PC market share changes, alternative memory architecture development, foundry strategy resets, and executive leadership moves at TSMC. Together, these stories track how AI-driven demand is reshaping memory supply, chip architecture strategy, and global semiconductor expansion.
Nvidia has not disclosed a detailed reason for Chief Executive Jensen Huang skipping the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi this week, saying only that he is "unable to travel… due to unforeseen circumstances."
India fines Intel over discriminatory warranty policy
Feb 16, 08:17
On February 12, 2026, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) issued a formal order under Section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002, imposing a penalty of INR273.8 million (US$3.02 million) on Intel Corporation. The regulator found the technology giant in contravention of provisions of Section 4 of the Act, which pertains to the abuse of a dominant market position.
In the final days before the Lunar New Year, a series of high-resolution satellite images began circulating on Taiwanese social media. They showed Barcelona Airport, Tokyo's National Stadium, Taiwan's coastline, science parks, and ports.
Leading IC substrate maker Unimicron Technology announced that chairman Tzyy-jang Tseng is stepping down upon reaching retirement age. The company said the leadership change was triggered by a representative change by corporate director United Microelectronics (UMC).
Taiwan's export value in January 2026 surged 69.9% year-on-year, surpassing the NT$2 trillion (US$63.7 billion) mark for the first time, largely due to differences in the number of working days between the Lunar New Year periods in 2025 and 2026. Strong shipments of AI servers and high-performance chips have prompted foreign banks to forecast Taiwan's GDP growth could reach 8.0% in 2026. If realized, this would mark a second consecutive year of above-8% expansion, following 2025's 8.63% growth.

Joseph Liow, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said in a recent public lecture that technology is no longer merely an engine of economic growth but has become a core instrument in great-power competition. For Taiwan, which sits at the center of the semiconductor industry and global supply chains, Liow said the rules of competition have fundamentally changed.