Rising geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran in late February 2026 drove a sharp rally in global crude oil and petrochemical feedstock prices, including ethylene and propylene, lifting prices across the petrochemical chain. Against expectations of potential supply disruptions, customers moved quickly to rebuild inventories, boosting first-quarter revenues for Taiwan's major petrochemical producers, according to earnings releases on April 10.
Industry sources report that the recent supply concerns over semiconductor-grade helium triggered by the US-Iran conflict have eased, as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix secured long-term contracts ensuring stable access to the critical gas.
As artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates the buildout of data centers, the race to supply their enormous energy demands is drawing new alliances between China's technology and industrial giants.
Prices for gallium arsenide (GaA) substrates — a key material used in power amplifiers for wireless communications — are rising, driven by surging costs for gallium, a critical upstream metal. After months of sustained increases in raw material prices, industry executives say a reversal appears unlikely.
The outbreak of war between the US and Iran in late February 2026 has entered its second month, sending shockwaves through global energy and petrochemical markets. Soaring crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices are cascading downstream, affecting manufacturers across multiple industries.
