tsmc

tsmc employees are set for a windfall as the AI boom pays off. CEO C.C. Wei has told staff their profit-sharing bonuses will jump more than 30% on average this year, beating last year's increase. The reason? Surging demand from Nvidia, Google and other Big Tech giants has driven the world's biggest chipmaker to record profits—and after workers aired frustrations online over pay, some of that money is now flowing back to them.

Intel's CEO announced a significant breakthrough in chip manufacturing, with their next-generation 14A process set to rival tsmc's technology. The company's foundry business, crucial for its comeback, has overcome previous yield issues, now showing substantial monthly improvements. This efficiency is attracting major tech firms, with Intel poised to announce new partnerships soon.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has issued a blunt ultimatum to his engineers: deliver chips that work on the first tape-out, or face the sack. Speaking at JP Morgan's tech conference, Tan said A0 silicon must go straight to production, B0 is tolerated, anything beyond gets you fired. The Intel CEO, who also told CNBC's Jim Cramer he scrapped reporting silos, is rewriting the chipmaker's design culture to chase tsmc.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Taiwan’s overall market capitalisation rose to $4.95 trillion as of Monday, while India’s market value declined to $4.92 trillion.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has openly admitted past mistakes, saying that the company's previous reporting structure left engineers disconnected from the CEO under Pat Gelsinger. Tan has now made every engineer report directly to him, simplified the roadmap and pulled back former Intel veterans to fix the data center slide. He also flagged improving Intel 18A yields and confirmed 14A volume production in 2029, matching tsmc's A14.

Apple is reportedly testing iPhone, iPad, and Mac processors with Intel's advanced chip manufacturing process, marking a potential shift after a decade. While tsmc remains the dominant supplier, this move signals Apple's strategy to diversify and cultivate new partners amidst growing demand for AI chips. Intel faces significant challenges in meeting Apple's stringent requirements.

Nvidia is poised to unveil its first Arm-based laptop chips, the N1X, at Computex, ending Qualcomm's dominance in Windows on Arm. These custom Nvidia designs, built on tsmc's 3nm process, boast 20 cores and integrated Blackwell graphics potentially rivaling discrete GPUs. Major manufacturers like Dell and Lenovo are expected to release laptops featuring this new silicon soon.

Huawei has unveiled the Tau (τ) Scaling Law and a new LogicFolding chip architecture, aiming to build 1.4nm-class chips by 2031 without ASML's EUV lithography machines. Announced by chip chief He Tingbo at IEEE ISCAS 2026 in Shanghai, the design stacks logic circuits to boost transistor density by 55% and power efficiency by 41%. The tech debuts in Huawei's Kirin processor for the Mate 90 series this autumn, challenging Moore's Law and US sanctions.

Sony and tsmc are joining forces in Japan to develop cutting-edge image sensors, with Sony retaining majority control. This strategic partnership, leveraging Sony's design expertise and tsmc's manufacturing might, aims to dominate future markets like AI-driven cars and robotics. The move signals Sony's shift towards a 'fab-light' model, focusing on intellectual property while facing increasing competition.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed China remains crucial for the company's $1 trillion sales forecast, including a new $200 billion CPU market. Despite US-China tensions, Huang emphasized serving the vital Chinese market. Nvidia is also ramping up production for its next-generation 'Vera' CPU and GPU platform, aiming to capture the burgeoning agentic AI sector.

During their discussions, President Trump and Xi Jinping placed Taiwan at the forefront of their diplomatic agenda. Trump perceives arms sales to Taiwan as a way to gain leverage, whereas Taiwan insists on its importance for regional harmony. Given its strategic significance in the technology sector, especially in chip manufacturing, any tension involving Taiwan could disturb the global economy.

In a surprising move, the Trump administration announced in August 2026 that the U.S. government acquired a 10% stake in chipmaker Intel, valued at approximately $11 billion. This equity was reportedly secured in exchange for federal grants, with President Trump expressing satisfaction with the deal, which he believes strengthens American technological leadership.

Apple has reportedly reached a preliminary agreement with Intel to manufacture some of its chips, potentially easing supply chain constraints. This deal would mark a significant shift, with Intel's 18A-P node being the likely target for Apple's lower-end M processors. The agreement could boost Intel's foundry business and provide Apple with a crucial second manufacturing source.

Taiwan Semiconductor and Sony Semiconductor Solutions are joining forces in Japan to develop and manufacture cutting-edge image sensors. This new venture, majority-owned by Sony, will leverage Sony's design prowess and tsmc's manufacturing expertise. The partnership aims to explore applications in areas like automotive and robotics, signaling a significant step in advanced chip development.

Apple is reportedly exploring manufacturing options beyond its long-time partner tsmc, holding preliminary talks with Intel and Samsung for its iPhone, iPad, and Mac processors. This move stems from current chip supply shortages, exacerbated by the AI boom. While discussions are exploratory and no orders are placed, Apple's caution remains due to the technological gap with its potential new partners.

All eyes in Beijing from tomorrow as Xi, Trump navigate trade, tech and geopolitical whirlpools

Apple may discontinue the base 256GB MacBook Neo model within months due to rising production costs and supply constraints. This move would effectively increase the starting price, encouraging buyers towards higher-priced configurations. The decision is influenced by strong demand for the A18 Pro chip and limited manufacturing capacity.

Anthropic's paper outlines two scenarios for US-China AI leadership by 2028. In one, the US maintains its compute advantage through tightened export controls, leading to democratic AI norms. The other sees China overtaking the US if policymakers fail to act, resulting in authoritarian AI dominance.

Foreign investors are exiting Indian stocks, with outflows reaching Rs 60,847 crore in April, following a massive Rs 1,17,775 crore sell-off in March. This trend signals sustained weakness in overseas investor sentiment, as global capital shifts towards Asian economies benefiting from the AI investment boom, particularly South Korea and Taiwan.

Apple posted its best March quarter ever in Q2 FY2026—$111.2 billion in revenue, up 17% year over year, with iPhone sales jumping 22% to $57 billion and Services hitting an all-time high of $31 billion. Every product category and every geographic region grew. The catch: memory costs are rising fast, Mac supply can't keep up with demand, and Tim Cook is handing the CEO role to John Ternus on September 1.

AMD's new Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 processor is here, boasting 3D V-Cache on both its chiplets for a massive 208MB of cache. This powerful 16-core chip, priced at $899, promises significant speed boosts for developers and creators working with large datasets. Existing AM5 users can upgrade without a new motherboard, with early adopters like Alienware already featuring it.

Elon Musk's ambitious 'Terafab' project, a massive AI chip factory involving Tesla and SpaceX, is reportedly underway. Musk's team is contacting major chip equipment suppliers and manufacturers like Intel and Samsung to secure the necessary technology. The goal is to produce Tesla's advanced AI chips, including those for Full Self-Driving, by 2029, ensuring a self-sufficient supply chain.

Technology stocks surged following President Trump's announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran, leading to a broad market rally. Major tech companies like Meta, Amazon, and Google-parent Alphabet saw significant gains as investors returned to the market. This recovery follows weeks of losses for the sector, exacerbated by rising energy prices and supply chain concerns.

Japanese tech firm Rapidus aims to revolutionize semiconductor manufacturing, targeting mass production of cutting-edge 2nm chips next year. Led by Atsuyoshi Koike, the company is exploring ambitious plans for lunar chip fabrication by the 2040s, leveraging the Moon's unique environment. Rapidus also plans to offer express chip production, significantly reducing manufacturing time.

Apple is reportedly planning to absorb rising component costs for the upcoming iPhone 18 series, leveraging its financial strength to maintain stable pricing. This strategy aims to secure supply and gain market share amidst global component shortages and price volatility, potentially impacting competitors' availability and pricing.

In a bold move reaffirming its commitment to European manufacturing, Intel is set to acquire the 49% stake in its Fab 34 facility from Apollo Global Management for a staggering $14.2 billion.

tsmc halted chip shipments to a customer after identifying their chips in Huawei products, possibly breaching US sanctions.

Taiwanese authorities are investigating a former tsmc executive's move to Intel, amid allegations of trade secret theft. The 75-year-old, who previously held a key strategy role, reportedly joined Intel after retiring from tsmc. Intel's CEO has dismissed the claims as speculation, emphasizing respect for intellectual property.