SemiPulse | AI-Powered Semiconductor Supply Chain Intelligence & Market Signals

Analysis: Taiwan's semiconductor sector enters 2026 helium crunch, with nearly 90% dependent on Qatar

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

Taiwan's chipmakers walked into the 2026 helium supply shock more exposed to Qatar than any other major buyer, sourcing nearly 88% of their rare-gas imports from the Gulf state in 2025, up from 46% four years earlier. With war disrupting the Strait of Hormuz, that concentration leaves fabs vulnerable and the outlook uncertain.

China's chip equipment makers ramp up expansion as AI and memory boom fuel domestic demand

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

China's leading semiconductor equipment manufacturers are accelerating expansion through acquisitions and fundraising, as surging AI investment, memory chip capacity growth, and import substitution combine to create one of the industry's strongest growth cycles in years.

China advanced packaging maker SJ Semiconductor starts US$1.5bn 3DIC project for AI chips

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

SJ Semiconductor has started construction of a CNY10 billion (approx. US$1.47 billion) 3DIC manufacturing project in Shanghai's Lingang New Area, expanding advanced packaging capacity for high-performance computing, AI and data center chips.

Jim Keller startup Fab2 targets small-fab mass production

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

Atomic Semi, the semiconductor equipment startup founded by chip architect Jim Keller, has rebranded as Fab2 and moved its headquarters to Austin, Texas, with a vision of mass-producing small fabs. According to Tom's Hardware, Fab2's core idea is a "fab fab": it designs and builds all of its own equipment, from pumps, valves, and gas lines to lithography tools and vacuum chambers, then assembles t

Exclusive Interview: Dutch startup Nearfield bets on process control to rival EUV in AI chip manufacturing

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

As Moore's Law approaches its physical limits, simply shrinking semiconductor process nodes is no longer the sole path to improving chip performance.

India roundup: India accelerates semiconductor ambitions through policy and global partnerships

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

India accelerated its semiconductor ambitions through deeper Japan cooperation, policy advances, new manufacturing partnerships, and local technology investments, reinforcing efforts to strengthen resilient supply chains and expand domestic electronics production despite infrastructure challenges and rising component costs amid intensifying global competition.

South Korea's chip hub push, led by Samsung, SK, draws KRW896 trillion — and a market selloff

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

SK Group, Samsung Electronics, and Amkor will invest a combined KRW896 trillion (US$585.2 billion) to build South Korea's second major semiconductor production base in the country's southwest, the industry ministry said.

Asahi Kasei to expand Taiwan photoresist film capacity for AI chip packaging

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

Asahi Kasei, one of the notable suppliers of Sunfort dry film photoresist in Japan, has initiated a fab expansion project in Taiwan. The newly established plant is expected to further elevate capacity performance in cutting and processing semiconductor packaging substrates.

Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron face HBM4 race as custom chip demand grows

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

The global high-bandwidth memory market is expected to pivot from HBM3E to HBM4 in the second half of 2026, setting up a sharper contest for market share among Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology.

Exclusive Interview: Dutch startup Nearfield targets AI chip process control expansion after US$380 million funding round

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

Dutch semiconductor equipment startup Nearfield Instruments has completed a US$380 million Series D funding round, the largest-ever fundraising for a Dutch deep-tech company. The company is now targeting an initial public offering (IPO) in 2028.

LandMark Optoelectronics posts record revenue in June, expands for post-2028 growth

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

LandMark Optoelectronics (LMOC) posted record-high single-month revenue in June 2026 and is stepping up its expansion plans to prepare for demand beyond 2028, as silicon photonics (SiPh) revenue is expected to triple in 2026. The optical communications epitaxial wafer (epi-wafer) maker said revenue rose for the eleventh consecutive month, reflecting tighter capacity and stronger data center demand

Anthropic's reported chip plans with Samsung could ease inference costs, not chase top-end performance

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

Anthropic's reported move into in-house chip development could matter well beyond Silicon Valley if it helps lower the cost of running AI services worldwide. By prioritizing cheaper inference rather than elite performance, the startup may be signaling a more pragmatic path that could influence how global AI systems are built and priced.

LG Chem begins first mass supply of semiconductor strippers to Amkor

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

LG Chem has begun supplying semiconductor strippers to Amkor Technology, a major US-based packaging and testing provider, in its first commercial move into the market. The deal highlights rising demand for advanced chip-making chemicals as artificial intelligence, high-bandwidth memory, and smaller device designs reshape global semiconductor manufacturing.

South Korea weighs longer hours for chip R&D in new tech zones

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

South Korea is considering exempting research and development personnel from the country's 52-hour workweek limit inside proposed Mega Special Zones. These would include a planned second semiconductor cluster in the southwestern Honam region.

Greatek Electronics advances Taiwan+1 plan with acquisition of Onsemi Philippines packaging plant

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digitimes.com 2026-07-06

Greatek Electronics, a subsidiary of memory packaging and testing provider Powertech Technology (PTI), has approved the acquisition of On Semiconductor SSMP Philippines, a packaging and testing services company under the On Semiconductor (Onsemi) group, using internal funds. The acquisition aims to strengthen the group's overseas operational footprint and improve its global customer service capabi

Is QUALCOMM, Inc. (QCOM) A Top AI Stock to Buy According to Billionaire Philippe Laffont? - Yahoo Finance

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news.google.com 2026-07-06 Yahoo Finance

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Secures Bit Origin’s AI Chips Supply as Prices Skyrocket in China’s Black Market - Yahoo Finance

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news.google.com 2026-07-06 Yahoo Finance

LG Chem Makes First Semiconductor Stripper Supply to Amkor - thelec.net

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news.google.com 2026-07-06 thelec.net

Jim Cramer: What caused the pre-holiday chip stock slump and what to do about it - CNBC

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news.google.com 2026-07-06 CNBC