Rising manufacturing costs at upstream foundries and back-end packaging and testing are pushing power management IC (PMIC) makers toward price increases, with global implications for device makers and automotive and data-center operators as firms weigh whether to accept higher PMIC prices or shift strategies amid ongoing worldwide capacity constraints and node migration pressures.

GlobalWafers expects the current semiconductor cycle to bottom in the first quarter of 2026, with both the speed and breadth of recovery exceeding prior expectations, as artificial intelligence (AI) demand continues to drive growth across the industry.