CHIP

ASML, the Dutch maker of advanced semiconductor equipment, says it is not selling its chipmaking machines in Europe, warning that the region risks falling behind the United States, China and India in the semiconductor race. The statement is drawing attention as Europe pushes to build its own chip industry while competitors invest heavily in domestic manufacturing capacity.

Austrian semiconductor substrate maker AT&S is drawing attention for its role in producing the advanced substrates that sit beneath AI chips, a critical and supply-constrained layer of the artificial intelligence hardware supply chain. As demand for AI processors surges, chipmakers and governments are racing to secure substrate capacity, putting AT&S at the center of the conversation about AI supply bottlenecks.

ASML, the Dutch company that dominates lithography equipment for chip manufacturing, has said it currently sells no chipmaking machines within Europe. The remark highlights how little advanced semiconductor production actually happens on the continent, even as EU policymakers push to build up domestic chipmaking capacity and reduce reliance on Asia and the United States.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten is pressing Washington to avoid new export restrictions targeting ASML's business in China. The appeal comes as US lawmakers pursue legislation that could tighten controls on the chip-equipment maker's immersion lithography systems and its servicing operations for Chinese customers. The standoff puts the Netherlands' most valuable tech firm between American policy pressure and its commercially important Chinese market, with both governments weighing next steps.

Reporting from Taipei frames Taiwan as the potential deciding factor in the escalating technology rivalry between the United States and China. Taiwan's tech industry produces more than 90 percent of the world's most advanced semiconductors, the chips that power AI servers, giving the island outsized strategic importance as both superpowers compete for dominance in artificial intelligence.

The Trump administration is moving to redirect unallocated CHIPS Act funds while leaning on tariff threats to push chipmakers toward US investment. TSMC retained its $6.6 billion grant, but tariff pressure has prompted it to raise its pledged US investment from $65 billion to more than $165 billion. Analysts note this shifts reshoring costs onto private capital, though tariffs build manufacturing capacity far more slowly than direct subsidies.

Micron Technology is drawing attention over its massive $100 billion investment in a chip factory near Syracuse, New York. Commentators are asking how large the project will ultimately become and what it means for the company's future and the regional economy. The plan is one of the largest semiconductor manufacturing commitments in the United States, placing Micron at the center of the domestic chip-building push.

US export controls on semiconductors were not a key topic at the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, according to the South China Morning Post. The observation is drawing attention given how central chip restrictions have been to US-China trade tensions, raising questions about whether both sides deliberately set the issue aside or reached quiet understandings on technology policy.

Huawei's Ascend processors have reportedly overtaken Nvidia in China's market for AI chips, marking a significant shift in the country's semiconductor landscape. The claim suggests Chinese firms are increasingly turning to domestic hardware as US export restrictions limit Nvidia's access to the market, handing Huawei a lead in powering China's artificial intelligence buildout.

Taiwan's dominance in semiconductor manufacturing, led by TSMC, is being described as a 'silicon shield' that deters Chinese aggression while making the island indispensable to the United States in the AI era. As artificial intelligence drives global demand for advanced chips, control over Taiwan's chip industry has become central to both its security and US strategic interests, intensifying debate over cross-strait tensions.

At the Xi-Trump summit, US export controls on semiconductors reportedly featured less prominently than other issues on the agenda. Analysts say Washington may be prioritising broader trade and diplomatic goals over tightening chip restrictions for now, leaving the future of US technology controls toward China uncertain.

India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged increased investment in artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing. She positioned the sectors as key to India's economic and technological ambitions, aligning with the government's push to attract chip fabrication projects and build AI capacity. The remarks come as countries compete for investment in these strategic industries.

A new filing reveals that ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, gained access to more than 2,000 Nvidia B200 chips through Nscale's data center operations in Norway. A Singaporean subsidiary called Spring reportedly contributed 73 percent of a UK neocloud provider's 2025 revenue. The arrangement highlights how export controls restricting advanced US chips to China may be circumvented through cloud services and third countries.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a plan to test its AI chips in space for the first time. The initiative points to the company exploring whether orbiting hardware could support future AI computing, as demand for processing power strains terrestrial data centres. The announcement has drawn attention across tech and semiconductor coverage worldwide.

New data from South Korea shows that nearly four out of ten reported leaks of industrial technology involve semiconductor-related know-how. The figures underline growing concern in Seoul over the theft of critical chip technology, a sector central to the country's economy and to intensifying global competition over semiconductor supply chains.

Google is preparing to test its AI chips in space, according to a report by The Brussels Times. The project would see the company's custom semiconductor hardware evaluated in orbital conditions rather than solely in terrestrial data centres. Further details on timing, partners or the specific chips involved have not been disclosed, and there has been no independent confirmation of the programme's scope so far.

Apple and Qualcomm have renewed their chip licensing agreement, extending a business relationship that has swung between partnership and litigation over the years. Qualcomm supplies modem chips for iPhones under licensing terms, and the renewal keeps that arrangement in place. The deal matters for the semiconductor and smartphone industries since both companies depend on the continued supply relationship.

Morningstar examines whether the AI boom is driving inflation and argues the picture is more complicated than headlines suggest. The analysis weighs AI's role in pushing up demand for energy, chips and data-center construction against countervailing factors like productivity gains and falling computing costs, concluding that AI's inflationary impact is real but limited and uneven across the economy.

Huawei has unveiled its Atlas 960E AI computing system with 4,096 chips, not the 15,488 it previously announced. The discrepancy has raised questions about the company's stated specifications for the system, which is part of Huawei's push to build domestic AI computing power amid US export restrictions on advanced semiconductors.

Chinese AI firm Moonshot is reportedly seeking access to additional Nvidia Blackwell chips, according to a report circulating this week. The claim lands just a week after a Trump administration official flagged an alleged breach of US export controls on advanced Nvidia processors. The episode keeps a spotlight on Washington's restrictions on high-end AI chips reaching China and enforcement questions around them.

Intel says its upcoming 14A process node will deliver performance within 5% of TSMC's rival A14 node, calling the estimate a conservative forecast. The claim comes as Intel leans on its 18A technology's frequency lead and pricing to compete for foundry customers, with observers weighing whether the gap is small enough to make Intel a credible alternative to TSMC at the leading edge.

Micron is reporting its fiscal first-quarter 2026 earnings, with attention focused on whether a boost from Nvidia's latest chip launch will reach the memory maker later than expected. Analysts and investors are watching Micron's guidance for signs that demand tied to Nvidia's new chips may take longer to translate into sales, a factor that could shape sentiment across the semiconductor sector.

PepsiCo says it will raise prices on its chips and soda products, with increases expected in the coming months. The snack and beverage giant, whose brands include Lay's, Doritos and Pepsi, is adjusting pricing amid ongoing cost pressures. Consumers are bracing for higher grocery bills, and the announcement is drawing wide attention as shoppers track when the new prices will take effect.

Microsoft announced expanded Azure transparency reporting, new Surface devices and its own custom AI chips, strengthening its cloud and hardware lineup. The company is positioning the chips to reduce reliance on outside suppliers and to lower costs for AI workloads running across its data centres. Coverage focuses on how the moves fit Microsoft's broader push into artificial intelligence infrastructure alongside rivals such as Amazon, Google and Nvidia.

The United States cut into the International Team's lead on Saturday at the Presidents Cup but still trail by three points going into Sunday's final-day singles matches. The International side enters the last day holding a 3-point advantage, leaving the Americans needing a strong singles session to defend their title, while the International Team eyes a rare win.

The U.S. team is trimming the International Team's advantage during Saturday play at the Presidents Cup, with live scoring drawing attention ahead of the afternoon foursomes session. The tournament remains tightly contested, and golf fans are closely tracking whether the Americans can complete the comeback heading into the final day.