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SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

European Chip Stocks Fall, Tracking Asian Selloff Over AI Investment Worries

European semiconductor stocks fell sharply Tuesday morning, with Technoprobe, Siltronic, and Soitec down more than 4%, and ASM International, BE Semiconductor, Aixtron, STMicroelectronics, and Infineon down more than 3%, as renewed concerns over the sustainability of the global AI investment boom-specifically unresolved credit and profitability questions tied to AI spending-weighed on the sector.
The selloff tracked Asian chip stocks, where South Korea's Samsung Electronics closed down 3% and SK Hynix fell 4.2%, pulling the Kospi down 3.7% to 5,552.74-its lowest close since April 7 and an end to a two-day rebound; the report characterized the prior two days' Asian chip-stock rebound as "short-lived."
The declines came even after a Monday rebound in AI-related stocks in the US, where the S&P 500 rose 0.4% and the Nasdaq gained 1.1% following the prior week's worst weekly drop since June; European benchmarks fell more than 1%, with violent protests in France raising expectations of increased government spending, adding pressure on bond markets and pushing global yields higher.

Published 4d agoSource: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Micron Union in Taiwan to Launch Strike as Bonus Dispute Escalates

Micron's Taoyuan union in Taiwan announced it will strike on Thursday, escalating a dispute over the company's profit-sharing bonus structure; the union did not specify strike duration or participant numbers, saying details would be announced Thursday, and noted Micron employs about 15,000 people in Taiwan.
The strike date coincides with a scheduled mediation meeting between Micron and the Taichung union, which has separately won strike-authorization votes from its members but has not yet called a strike; Taoyuan's own mediation with Micron ended without agreement in September.
The Taoyuan union said the strike aims to show solidarity with the Taichung union and pressure the company to put forward a concrete profit-sharing proposal; Micron did not immediately comment in the report.

Published 4d agoSource: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Leveraged Chip Fund Sees Record $7 Billion Weekly Inflow Amid Selloff

The Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3x Shares ETF (SOXL), a 3x leveraged product tracking the semiconductor index's daily return, took in about $7 billion over the past week, its largest-ever weekly inflow, even as the fund's value fell by roughly a third over the same period.
The inflow translated into about $21 billion in notional semiconductor-sector exposure through the 3x leveraged structure, which the fund had to hedge against during the selloff; the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell for eight straight trading sessions through last week, its longest losing streak since October 2008, dropping about 16% over that span amid concerns over rate-hike risk and uncertainty around AI-infrastructure spending.
SOXL rebounded more than 9% in premarket trading Monday, while the US 10-year Treasury yield held roughly steady near 5%.

Published 5d agoSource: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

AI Chip Startup Tenstorrent More Than Doubles Valuation to $6.2 Billion in Funding Round

Santa Clara-based AI chip and software maker Tenstorrent raised $1.5 billion in a Series E round led by Trace Capital and Innovation X, with participation from ARK Invest, Sandisk, Morgan Stanley, T. Rowe Price, and Tether Investments, valuing the company at a $6.2 billion post-money valuation; this compares with a December 2024 round that raised more than $693 million at a $2 billion pre-money valuation led by Samsung Securities and AFW Partners.
Tenstorrent builds AI chips using the open-source RISC-V architecture; its flagship Galaxy server combines dozens of AI chips to support applications including chatbots, coding assistants, and video generation. The company is led by CEO Jim Keller, previously head of Tesla's self-driving chip development and a prior lead designer at Apple and AMD.
Tenstorrent said the new funding will be used to scale production of its Galaxy servers.

Published 5d agoSource: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

South Korea Says SK Hynix's Solidigm Listing Could Violate Rules, Reports Say

South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service chief Lee Chan-jin told a parliamentary hearing that the FSS and Financial Services Commission determined SK Hynix's proposed listing of US subsidiary Solidigm would violate rules against dual listings, in which both a parent and subsidiary are publicly traded, as it could dilute parent shareholders' economic interests; the FSC has not yet issued a formal interpretation, and regulators are also reviewing whether Solidigm, a foreign entity, is subject to Korean securities disclosure requirements.
Solidigm was formed in 2021 when SK Hynix acquired Intel's NAND flash and SSD business; Reuters reported last month that the US subsidiary is considering an IPO as early as 2027 that could raise up to $15 billion and value the unit at up to $150 billion, with proceeds from new shares to outside investors reducing the share of profit currently flowing entirely to SK Hynix.
Regulators plan to review appropriate measures and convey their concerns to SK Hynix, which said it is reviewing ways to strengthen Solidigm's competitiveness with no decision made; SK Hynix shares fell 2% to 1,247,000 won Monday, while the Kospi rose 0.8% to 5,715.9.

Published 5d agoSource: 조선일보 ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Philadelphia Semiconductor Index Posts Longest Weekly Losing Streak Since 2008 as China's CXMT Rattles DRAM Makers

Asia-Pacific stocks edged lower Monday even as China's third-quarter data beat expectations (retail sales up 1.1%, industrial production up 5.5%), as AI-sector jitters persisted; the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell 11.4% over the past week, its longest weekly losing streak since 2008, Investing.com reported.
Shares of China's Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) fell 7.6% on investor concern over its progress on next-generation DRAM technology, seen as a competitive threat to Samsung Electronics (+0.8%) and SK Hynix (-0.7%); Kioxia rose 1.3% while TDK fell 1.3%, Murata Manufacturing dropped 2.4%, and TSMC slipped 0.6%.
DDR5 memory prices have risen 79% so far this year and 4.5% this month alone, according to Floodline Research analyst Anna Wu; Nasdaq 100 futures rose 1.3% and S&P 500 futures gained 0.8%, pointing to a rebound after Friday's declines, with Netflix reporting earnings Tuesday and Tesla, Meta, and IBM due Wednesday.

Published 5d agoSource: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Asian AI Stocks Fall as Rising Financing Costs Threaten Spending Boom, Bloomberg Reports

Goldman Sachs' Asia AI hardware basket fell 11% last week, its steepest weekly decline since mid-July, Bloomberg reported; Taiwan's Nan Ya Plastics fell 12% from a record high, Unimicron Technology dropped 14% on the week, and South Korea's Samsung Electro-Mechanics plunged 23%.
The moves track a broader selloff: US chip stocks fell for an eighth straight session, erasing about 16% from the sector benchmark, the Nasdaq 100 posted its worst week since April 2025, and US AI-infrastructure firm CoreWeave fell 25% on the week amid debt concerns; TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix together make up about a third of the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index.
Investors are questioning whether big tech and AI-infrastructure operators can sustain capital spending on data-center buildouts amid higher borrowing costs; GAM's Jian Shi Cortesi said rising financing costs could delay infrastructure projects and prompt reassessment of Asian suppliers' valuations, while Federated Hermes' Kunjal Gala said strong AI demand still supports the sector and the report found little evidence that financial pressure has weakened chip orders.

Published Oct 18Source: Bloomberg ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Samsung's Q3 Operating Profit Surpasses Nvidia's, Making It the World's Largest Quarterly Earner

Samsung Electronics posted third-quarter operating profit of 107.4 trillion won (about $75 billion), up 783% year-on-year and 20% quarter-on-quarter, according to an Investing.com report; this exceeded Nvidia's estimated operating profit for the same period of 97 trillion won, making Samsung the world's largest generator of quarterly operating profit, the report said.
The growth was driven by Samsung's memory chip business, particularly rising demand and prices for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI accelerators; KB Securities forecast fourth-quarter operating profit of 114 trillion won (113 trillion won from the memory division) and maintained a buy rating with a 600,000-won price target, projecting HBM average selling prices to rise more than 100% year-on-year in 2027.
KB Securities said Samsung's remaining shareholder-return budget under its current three-year plan (110 trillion won) could support 70-80 trillion won in cash dividends and 30-40 trillion won in share buybacks, also noting the stock's forward P/E of about 4x is low; the report's Nvidia figure is an estimate rather than a confirmed result, and the fourth-quarter outlook is a brokerage forecast.

Published Oct 17Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Chip Index SOX Posts Longest Losing Streak Since 2008 as AI Worries Deepen

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell for an eighth straight trading day Friday, its longest such losing streak since October 2008, dropping 3.83% to 11,137.29 and sliding about 16% since its last gain on October 6; all 30 index constituents fell Friday, with Broadcom, Micron, AMD, Intel, Lam Research and KLA each down roughly 5% and ARM Holdings down about 7%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.1% and the S&P 500 fell 1.1%. The SOX had been up more than 60% for 2026 through early October.
CoreWeave fell 12% Friday, extending its five-day loss to about 25%, with its bonds yielding above 15% in distressed territory; the company carries roughly $50 billion in debt. Concerns cited include the sustainability of AI investment given rising debt loads for data-center and compute-capacity buildouts, hotter-than-expected US inflation data raising the odds rates stay elevated — pushing up financing costs for AI-infrastructure-heavy companies — and a report that China's CXMT has made progress on advanced memory-chip architecture.
The article said the weakness first emerged in June and became more pronounced this week; it did not provide further detail comparing magnitude or causes with the 2008 downturn beyond the streak-length comparison.

Published Oct 17Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Besi Shares Fall on Report ASML Is Working on Rival Hybrid-Bonding Product

Research firm SemiAnalysis reported, based on an analysis of 27 ASML patent filings, that ASML may be developing a hybrid-bonding product; ASML has not confirmed this and declined to comment on the report. Hybrid bonding is an advanced packaging technique used in making 3D semiconductor chips.
The report raised concerns that Besi, a leader in hybrid bonding, could face competition from much-larger ASML in Besi's core growth product. Besi shares fell about 3% to €158.50 in Amsterdam trading Friday morning, while ASML rose 1.1% to €1,480; Besi had not responded to requests for comment at the time of the article.
Context: ASML launched its first advanced-packaging equipment last year and has said it continues to assess the direction of the 3D-integration industry; in March, ASML's chief technology officer Marco Pieters said the company was planning additional packaging equipment. One analyst noted packaging is seen as important to justifying ASML's growth and high valuation in the post-EUV era.

Published Oct 16Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Taiwan to Curb AI Chip Sales to China for More US Alignment, Bloomberg Reports

Taiwan is considering much stricter export controls on AI chip sales to China, Bloomberg reported citing anonymous sources, aimed mainly at stopping AI servers containing Nvidia chips from being diverted from Taiwan to China. The article did not specify the exact scope, item criteria, or timing, and no final measure has been confirmed.
Context cited: the move is meant to give authorities stronger legal tools against diversion of advanced hardware amid smuggling risks, and is part of broader alignment with US policy — the US has restricted AI chip exports to China since 2022, which China has objected to.
The article cited reported smuggling cases routed through Southeast Asia; a Super Micro Computer employee has been implicated in a US Justice Department investigation into smuggling roughly $2.5 billion worth of Nvidia chips to China, with one co-founder arrested, and a Taiwan-based Nvidia employee was also reportedly linked to a smuggling ring. Companies named: Nvidia (NVDA) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI); Taiwan's broader AI-server supply chain could also be affected, though the article did not detail this. The report said the move could further provoke Beijing.

Published Oct 16Source: Bloomberg ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Taiwan Plans $4 Billion Texas Park to Support Nvidia's AI Supply Chain, Bloomberg Reports

Taiwan's government is planning multiple industrial parks in the US, with the first site in Texas, aimed at strengthening the AI hardware supply chain, Bloomberg reported based on an October 12 interview; each park would involve up to $4 billion in investment, intended to help small and midsize Taiwanese suppliers establish local operations in the US.
The parks would support companies tied to Nvidia's production chain, such as TSMC and server assembler Foxconn. Funding would be arranged by the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA), with the government providing loan guarantees and help navigating local and federal regulations.
Context cited: Taiwan faces pressure to follow through on investment commitments made under a US trade agreement, and is also seeking to reduce geopolitical risk from tensions with China. TSMC has pledged $265 billion toward expanded US investment, and Foxconn and Wistron are also expanding US production capacity.

Published Oct 16Source: Bloomberg ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Google Demonstrates Quantum Computing Breakthrough, Cuts Errors 40-Fold

Google's Quantum AI team demonstrated a technique called 'magic state cultivation' that eases a key bottleneck in quantum computing, published in the journal Science, per Investing.com. On Google's Willow processor, the technique cut errors roughly 40-fold and achieved 99.99% logical fidelity for T-states; magic states are a resource required for universal quantum computation, and producing them with low enough error rates has been difficult — estimates cited suggest their production can consume up to 95% of a quantum computer's capacity.
The technique uses coordinated measurements to detect errors and filter out flawed attempts, yielding higher-quality states with fewer resources; researchers also succeeded in transferring states between two different quantum error-correction schemes, suggesting potential integration into existing architectures. The approach confirms a theoretical proposal from 2024; Google said further research is needed before it can be applied to practical, large-scale quantum computing.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Morgan Stanley Upgrades Quantinuum to Overweight on Technology Edge; Shares Rise

Morgan Stanley upgraded quantum computing company Quantinuum (QNT) to 'Overweight' from 'Equal-weight' while lowering its price target to $62 from $78, implying about 88% upside from recent levels, per Investing.com. Analyst Joseph Moore called Quantinuum 'the most advanced contestant in the industry,' citing technology progress, execution, manufacturability and commercial metrics, with technology differentiation weighted most heavily at this stage; the firm named it its top pick among pure-play quantum companies, noting the market assigns it the lowest revenue multiple against 2030 revenue estimates among its peer group.
Quantinuum shares rose 4.9% in premarket trading Thursday. Among peers, Morgan Stanley kept IonQ at 'Equal-weight' and initiated coverage on Infleqtion and Xanadu, both at 'Equal-weight.'

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

European Chipmakers Tumble as Inflation Data Fuels Rate-Hike Fears, AI Rout

European chip and chip-equipment stocks fell sharply Thursday as the US/Asia tech selloff spread, per Investing.com: Germany's Infineon and Aixtron each fell about 8%, the Netherlands' ASM International fell about 8% and ASML fell about 5.5%, BE Semiconductor fell 5.7%, France's STMicroelectronics fell 6.5%, and smaller names Suss MicroTec, Elmos Semiconductor and Switzerland's ams OSRAM fell 5.2-7.2%; Siltronic, Soitec and Technoprobe fell 6.5-10%. AI-exposed industrials Nokia, Legrand, Schneider Electric and ABB fell 4-5%.
The selloff followed Wednesday's Asian tech rout (Samsung -9.4%, SK Hynix -11%, Kioxia -12.3%, SoftBank over -9%, TSMC -2%, per the report), with SK Hynix down a further 6.7% in US pre-market trading. September US CPI came in at 3.7% annually (vs. 3.6% forecast) and core CPI at 2.6% (vs. 2.5% forecast), driven largely by energy costs; rate futures still price about a 71% chance the Fed holds at its October 28 FOMC meeting, after briefly pricing closer to even odds on a hike. Credit markets wobbled and bonds rallied, with the report describing heavy AI-infrastructure and data-center investment coming under pressure from higher rates; Wednesday marked a third straight down day for US stocks.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Taiwan President Calls for Micron, Workers to Negotiate 'Sincerely' Ahead of Possible Strike

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, speaking in Taichung on October 15, urged Micron and its unions to keep negotiating 'sincerely and in good faith to build the broadest possible consensus,' per Investing.com, saying harmonious labor relations benefit both sides; he also thanked Micron for its Taiwan investment, voiced hope for more, and noted the company had secured government support for HBM (high-bandwidth memory) R&D.
The Taichung union won strike authorization from members last week in a dispute over bonus policy and said it expects more substantive dialogue with the company; the Taoyuan union's September mediation ended without agreement, and that union is recommending members join an October 19 Taipei rally, which it says is not a strike. Taiwan is one of Micron's largest manufacturing bases with about 15,000 employees; the core dispute is over profit-sharing in the bonus structure. Micron and the Taoyuan union did not immediately comment; Micron COO Manish Bhatia did not address the strike directly but said the plant's 2027 production capacity is already fully sold.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

TSMC Q3 Profit Jumps 69% to Record, Beating Expectations

TSMC reported Q3 net profit of NT$763.1 billion (~$23.59 billion at NT$32.3450/$1), a record and up 69% year-over-year, per Investing.com. The figure beat the LSEG SmartEstimate of NT$746.3 billion (a weighted forecast favoring analysts with historically more accurate predictions); the report attributed the jump to soaring global demand for its AI processors.
The article did not disclose Q3 revenue figures or Q4 guidance.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

ByteDance Nears Chip Supply Deal With MediaTek for Data Centers, Bloomberg Reports

ByteDance is nearing an agreement with Taiwanese fabless chipmaker MediaTek to secure chips for its data-center operations, according to a Bloomberg report cited by Investing.com; Reuters said it could not independently verify the report. The report does not specify deal size, chip volume, specifications, or timing.
MediaTek shares fell 6.82% the same day, amid a broader selloff in AI and chip stocks across Asian markets.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

SK Hynix Conditions New US Factory on More US Chip Equipment Exports to China, Sources Say

SK Hynix is seeking Washington's approval to export more US-made chipmaking equipment to China, in order to expand production there, as a condition for building a new factory in the US, according to a Reuters exclusive citing people familiar with the matter (SK Hynix, its US subsidiary Solidigm and the Commerce Department did not comment or respond). The Trump administration has been pressing foreign chipmakers including SK Hynix and Samsung to build US factories.
Specifically, Solidigm wants to install more NAND equipment (from Lam Research, Applied Materials and KLA) in idle space at its Dalian, China plant's 'Mod B' fab, built in 2023 but never fully equipped amid a memory-market downturn; the Commerce Department revoked blanket equipment-license exemptions for South Korean firms' China plants last year and this year issued a capped 2026 license for Dalian, with a 2027 license still pending. The article does not specify the size or location of the proposed new US NAND plant, only that fabs cost billions and take years to build; revenue from expanded China production, and a potential IPO for Solidigm as early as next year, could help fund it. Separately, SK Hynix is in talks to lease part of Intel's Ohio plant and has broken ground on an HBM advanced-packaging plant in Indiana.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

SK Hynix Stock Plunges 11%, Triggering Kospi Circuit Breaker

SK Hynix shares fell 11.1% to 1,262,000 won on Thursday, one of its biggest one-day drops in months, per Investing.com. The Kospi opened roughly 5.6% lower, triggering a sell-side circuit breaker on both the Kospi and Kosdaq; Samsung Electronics also fell sharply, and Japan's Nikkei and Asian chip-equipment makers dropped in sympathy with the broader tech selloff.
Cited catalysts: September US CPI came in above forecast, raising rate-hike fears that lift the cost of capital underpinning AI-infrastructure spending (the basis of HBM chip demand); Broadcom and Intel's CEOs separately warned that financing, not chip supply or power, could become AI expansion's biggest bottleneck, spreading selling across the memory supply chain; concerns persisted that China's CXMT could commercialize denser 4F²-based server DRAM by year-end, pressuring SK Hynix's pricing power and market share; and foreign investors sold Korean chip stocks aggressively over several sessions, with SK Hynix net outflows reaching hundreds of billions of won.

Published Oct 15Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

TSMC Expected to Report Sixth Straight Quarter of Record Profit on AI Boom

TSMC is expected to report Q3 net profit of about NT$746.3 billion (~$23.4 billion), up roughly 65% year-over-year, per an LSEG SmartEstimate based on 16 analysts, when it reports earnings and holds its conference call on October 15 (06:00 GMT); a figure above NT$706.56 billion would mark a record quarterly profit and an 11th straight quarter of profit growth. The call will also include Q4 and updated full-year guidance.
Analysts cited continued strong demand for AI chip production capacity and CoWoS advanced packaging; TSMC is the key supplier to Nvidia and Apple, with a market cap of about $2 trillion, nearly double Samsung Electronics'. Last week's already-reported Q3 revenue rose about 50% year-over-year to a record high. TSMC raised its 2026 capex plan in July to $60-64 billion from $52-56 billion, and its $100 billion addition to Arizona investment (for a total of $265 billion) was also announced in July; its Taiwan-listed shares are up 63% this year, roughly in line with the broader Taiwan market's 69% gain.

Published Oct 14Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

Japan to Invest Up to $21 Billion in Two US Chip Factories to Be Run by GlobalFoundries

Japan will invest up to $21 billion in two chip factories in New York state, co-owned by the US and Japanese governments and built and operated by GlobalFoundries, according to Investing.com. The investment falls under the 2025 US-Japan $550 billion investment agreement, under which the US lowered tariffs on Japanese autos and other goods from 25% to 15%.
GlobalFoundries will earn construction and operating fees plus manufacturing technology licensing revenue; the US government will separately acquire an additional 4% stake in GlobalFoundries, bringing its total stake to about 7%. Japan's Renesas Electronics and Apple were named as initial customers, with the GlobalFoundries CEO saying US and Japanese customers are prioritized.
Investment returns are split evenly between the two countries up to a certain threshold, after which the US takes 90%; Japan has announced more than $100 billion in projects under this framework so far, with spillover investment expected for Japanese equipment makers like Tokyo Electron.

Published Oct 14Source: Investing.com ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

ASML CFO Says US Match Act Limiting DUV Sales to China Would Be Counterproductive

ASML CFO Roger Dassen told reporters on a call following Q3 earnings that he opposes the proposed US Match Act, which would restrict sales of DUV lithography equipment to China, calling it a bad idea, according to a Reuters report cited by Investing.com.
Dassen argued that if the Match Act passes after the US midterm elections, it would accelerate China's development of its own lithography technology. He said he is "optimistic that common sense will prevail."

Published Oct 14Source: Reuters ↗

SemisLive Wire · AI-collected

ASML Forecasts Q4 Sales Above Expectations on AI Chip Demand

ASML guided Q4 net sales of €14.2-15.2 billion (about $15.9-17.0 billion), with the low end slightly above the LSEG analyst consensus of €14.19 billion, according to Investing.com.
The company guided gross margin of about 57%, above the roughly 55.4% consensus estimate, and narrowed its full-year 2026 outlook. ASML said AI-driven demand for chipmaking equipment remains strong, without disclosing specific order volumes or customers.

Published Oct 14Source: Investing.com ↗