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Aug 25, 11:55
AI boom drives Foxconn past 40% of Taiwan-listed firms' China returns, with FII leading the way
Global demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) has lifted investment returns for Taiwan-listed companies in China, with Foxconn continuing to lead the pack. According to CRIF, Foxconn's total China investment returns in the first half of 2026 reached NT$117.6 billion (US$3.7 billion).
YouTube is preparing offers of millions of dollars in funding and brand revenue sharing to keep major creators from taking simultaneous streaming deals with Netflix, according to Bloomberg. The move comes as the two platforms compete more directly for top talent and audience attention in the US and beyond.
AI data center expansion and rising demand for enterprise network upgrades continue to lift the network equipment market, giving several vendors better order visibility. But surging prices for key components such as memory and PCBs, along with hyperscalers drawing heavily on supply-chain resources, are squeezing parts availability for other electronics and adding another layer of uncertainty to second-half operations.
Xiaomi is accelerating its transition from a smartphone-focused electronics manufacturer toward a broader technology ecosystem company, as artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles (EVs) and smart connected devices become increasingly important growth drivers while its core smartphone business faces rising component costs.
Taiwan Mobile (TWM) recently announced a tender offer for Systex, setting a goal of doubling its share of Taiwan's information services market from 7% to 14% within six years. TWM Chief Enterprise Business Officer Shing Chu stressed that the target is not about taking existing business away from competitors, but about capturing a larger share of a market that is expected to expand as AI drives enterprise demand for IT services.
Google has told suppliers it plans to move all production of Pixel smartphones, smartwatches and wireless earbuds out of China starting in 2027, after making progress developing and producing high-end Pixel phones in Vietnam this year.
The technology rivalry between the US and China is spreading into a new part of the AI supply chain: optical transceivers, the critical devices that connect AI servers to fiber-optic networks by converting electrical signals into optical ones and back again. Reuters reported in August that the US Federal Communications Commission is considering an import ban on new Chinese-made optical transceivers over cybersecurity and data-theft concerns.

Tight DDR4 supply and rising memory costs are reshaping the timing of home and enterprise networking upgrades worldwide. While equipment makers are still preparing for a stronger shift to Wi-Fi 7 in 2026, some customers are delaying replacement cycles, extending Wi-Fi 6 demand, and pushing expectations for a broader Wi-Fi 8 transition further out.

Taiwan Mobile has raised its full-year 2026 operating profit growth outlook to 7% to 9%, excluding the impact of its planned Systex acquisition, as AI applications continue to drive demand for data center computing power and spur the company's AI data center (AIDC) expansion.

Global Electronics Association survey data show that demand across the global electronics manufacturing industry maintained steady expansion in the first half of 2026, with orders, shipments, and capacity utilization strengthening in most months. Capacity utilization, in particular, reached an all-time high since the survey began in June.

Nokia is accelerating its retreat from China, closing its Hangzhou R&D center and cutting about 1,600 jobs as shrinking market access, geopolitical friction and a broader global restructuring reshape the Finnish telecom equipment maker's footprint in the world's largest 5G market.

Taiwan Mobile said on August 12 that its board approved a tender offer for Systex Corporation common shares through its wholly owned subsidiary Taiwan Cellular, with the goal of lifting its stake to more than 50%. The telecom operator already held 11.86% of Systex, and the tender offer seeks an additional stake of at least 39%, which would lift Taiwan Mobile's total ownership above 50%.