South Korea's export momentum stayed robust in September on the back of continued demand for semiconductors, keeping the outlook upbeat for economic growth and offering positive signs for global commerce and the tech cycle

India-based IC design startup L&T Semiconductor Technologies revealed it's developing 15 products, which will be mass-produced in two years and will start the chipmaking business once it reaches a certain threshold in sales

SK Hynix recently spotlighted its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) technologies with great emphasis on its collaboration with Nvidia during its participation in TSMC's Open Innovation Platform (OIP) Ecosystem Forum

Fujifilm plans to strengthen its semiconductor materials capabilities with an investment of JPY 20 billion (US$ 140 million) to build facilities in Shizuoka and Oita, focusing on materials for sub-2nm chip processes, including photoresist

Pegatron is transforming from a traditional OEM manufacturing solution provider to a comprehensive manufacturing partner, expanding its Indian customer base beyond the electronics sector

Chung-Hsin Electric and Machinery Manufacturing (CHEM) is witnessing substantial growth driven by aggressive capacity expansion, having acquired multiple factories to boost production by approximately 20% annually. The company is focused on the domestic Taiwanese market and is also pursuing opportunities in Japan, the US, and Southeast Asia to enhance its global presence

Global spending on 300mm fab equipment is expected to reach a record US$400 billion from 2025 to 2027, according to SEMI. The robust spending is being driven by the regionalization of semiconductor fabs and the increasing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips used in data centers and edge devices

Presently, the enhancement of AI chips' computing power heavily depends on advanced packaging technologies such as CoWoS and HBM, with the two technologies complementing each other

The ASEAN market, spanning multiple countries, has become a fiercely competitive battleground for numerous automotive and new energy vehicle (NEV) brands. In this landscape, BYD has continued to stand out, which can be attributed to its successful deep integration with local businesses

Vietnam, as Samsung Electronics' largest smartphone production base, has seen the company invest over KRW30 trillion (US$22.37 billion) locally over the past 17 years, earning the title of "national enterprise of Vietnam." However, concerns have emerged as Samsung lost its leading position in the Vietnamese smartphone market to Chinese competitors in the second quarter, prompting claims of "Vietnam betraying Samsung.

Following recent geopolitical tensions, concerns regarding the supply chain security of technology products have intensified globally. The United States has expressed intentions to impose restrictions on connected vehicles from China

SK Hynix is expediting the development of 16-layer HBM3E (High Bandwidth Memory) to reinforce its leading position in the competitive HBM market, as challenges from rivals like Samsung and Micron intensify. The company has successfully confirmed the operational stability of its 16-layer HBM3E, showcasing the robustness of its proprietary MR-MUF (Mass Reflow Mold Underfill) stacking technology

Samsung Electronics has reportedly delayed construction and equipment orders for its Pyeongtaek Phase 4 (P4) plant in South Korea and its second facility (T2) in Taylor, Texas. This move suggests a more cautious approach to semiconductor investments from the South Korean giant, potentially impacting its partner companies

A Chinese venture capital heavyweight Datong Chen has been appointed to the board of directors of China-based IC design company Unisoc. Chen, chairman of Investment Committee, Hua Capital Management, co-founded OmniVision in 1995, and Spreadtrum (now Unisoc) in 2001. Meanwhile, Unisoc has also stepped up its shipments of handset application processors (AP), with its market share now said to be on a par with Apple's

LG Display (LGD) and TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (TCL CSOT) have signed an agreement for the latter to buy LGD's 8.5G LCD facility in Guangzhou for CNY10.8 billion (US$1.54 billion), further solidifying the dominance of Chinese companies in the global TV panel market. The sale is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025