SemiPulse — Semiconductor Intelligence

China's semiconductor self-sufficiency drive has taken another step forward, with SMIC and Hua Hong Group jointly establishing Shanghai Electronic Materials International Supply Chain, in what market observers view as more than a conventional materials procurement platform.

LG Innotek wins long-term substrate deals as Intel and cloud giants secure supply

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

LG Innotek has secured substrate supply terms with major technology customers that increasingly resemble long-term agreements used in the memory-chip sector, boosting the South Korean supplier's revenue visibility and reducing profit volatility, according to reports.Hankyungand Yonhap, citing a KB Securities report, said the proposed contracts include large upfront payments, binding multi-year sup

FII challenges Broadcom and Nvidia as CPO race shifts to system integration

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

As AI computing demand continues to grow exponentially, pressure to upgrade data center network architectures is intensifying. Co-packaged optics (CPO) is moving from concept to real-world deployment, and Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII) is quietly building a strong market position by leveraging its existing strengths in CPO all-optical switches as well as AI servers.

Commentary: Trump's Taiwan chip claim tests TSMC's silence

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

US President Donald Trump, after recently concluding a visit to China, again publicly accused Taiwan of having "stolen our chip industry." This was not the first time he had made such a claim. From the 2024 campaign period to a Fox Newsinterview in May 2026, before his departure after visiting China, Trump has repeatedly argued that the business originally belonged to Intel and that, had the US go

US targets Hua Hong's 7nm nodes while China targets South Korean partners to evade sanctions

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has reportedly issued "is-informed" letters to several major wafer fab equipment (WFE) manufacturers, ordering an immediate halt to tool shipments destined for Hua Hong Semiconductor, China's second-largest foundry. The restrictions specifically target two facilities within the Hua Hong Group, including its subsidiary Huali Microelectronics, which US officials b

AI server demand tightens passive component supply, lifting Taiwanese suppliers' share

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

Demand for artificial intelligence servers and related power systems is pushing lead times higher for high-end multilayer ceramic capacitors, elongated electrolytic capacitors, and hybrid aluminum electrolytic capacitors, distributor Nichidenbo has reported, with typical waits rising from around 1.5–2 months to 3–4 months and in some cases much longer.

Commentary: China builds its memory twin engines; IPO push for YMTC, CXMT intensifies

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

China's memory chip industry is entering a critical capital markets phase, with YMTC formally launching IPO counselling and CXMT resuming its STAR Market listing review after updating its prospectus. The parallel moves mark an accelerated push by China's two leading memory chipmakers to secure long-term funding and expand their role in the global semiconductor industry.

Samsung labor dispute adds pressure to memory chip market

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

Surging demand for AI data center infrastructure has already pushed the memory market into a structural shortage. Now, Samsung Electronics' labor dispute is adding another layer of uncertainty for DRAM and NAND Flash prices.

TSMC's cautious capex is averting an AI bubble, says investor

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

TSMC's restrained expansion strategy is helping the global market avoid an AI bubble, according to veteran semiconductor investor Gavin Baker, the chief investment officer at Atreides Management. Speaking at the 2026 Sohn Investment Conference, Baker's view runs counter to market consensus at a time when tech giants are pouring money into AI chips and global chip manufacturing is under unprecedent

AI chip boom strains ABF substrate supply chain

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

AI is shifting the semiconductor supply chain's next bottleneck from wafer fabrication and HBM memory to ABF substrates — a lower-profile but critical packaging material used in high-end CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, and networking chips.

Five weak links India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 must fix

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

India's first semiconductor mission brought fabs, OSAT units, and chip projects into the policy pipeline. Its second phase is being shaped around a harder question: whether India can fix the weak links that determine if those projects become a sustainable semiconductor ecosystem.

Nvidia excludes China from its outlook while citing analyst estimates of US$1 trillion in hyperscaler capex by 2027

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digitimes.com 2026-05-21

Nvidia continues to exclude Chinese data center compute revenue from its outlook, with CFO Colette Kress citing uncertainty around whether H200 imports will be allowed into the country despite recent US export license approvals.