South Korean foundry operator DB HiTek is facing a slower ramp in silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), testing its push into next-generation power semiconductors as technology barriers and a market slowdown complicate its growth plans.

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.

ITE Tech's stable first-quarter results and planned price increases from the second half of 2026 signal potential cost pass-through across global PC, notebook, and embedded markets, affecting device makers and buyers worldwide as memory and component costs climb and inventory strategies shift in response to anticipated further price rises.

As of May 18, 2026, TSMC's market value stood at NT$58 trillion (US$1.8 billion), MediaTek's at NT$5.45 trillion, and Delta Electronics' at NT$5.2 trillion — the three largest companies in Taiwan's capital market. The rapid expansion of electronics valuations has drawn regulatory scrutiny and triggered risk warnings for some companies, while lawmakers argue that rules on managed securities and related standards need updating to reflect a fundamentally changed market structure.

Flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL) manufacturer Asia Electric Material (AEM) said that its long-term investment in new product development has begun to yield results, with the company's operational focus shifting toward product promotion and customer sample certification in 2026. Its two major new products will target the semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) application markets.

Analog Devices Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire Empower Semiconductor for about US$1.5 billion in cash, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. A formal announcement could come as soon as Tuesday. The deal has not been finalized and could still fall through.

Samsung Electronics and its South Korean labor union resumed talks on May 19 in a last-ditch effort to avert an 18-day strike set to begin May 21, with the two sides reportedly closing in on some differences.

SpaceX's IPO preparations are accelerating the commercialization of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, renewing global attention on satellite communications. The LEO sector's sharp growth in 2025 and expected expansion in 2026 could reshape connectivity worldwide, as rising demand for inter-satellite, satellite-to-gateway, and satellite-to-mobile links drives higher frequencies and services.

Alphabet's Google and Blackstone are planning to launch a new artificial intelligence cloud company that would use Google's proprietary AI chips to compete in the fast-growing AI infrastructure market, according to reports from Bloomberg, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan recently told CNBC's Mad Money that the company's external manufacturing business, known as Intel Foundry, is emerging as a cornerstone of the chipmaker's revitalization strategy. Tan described the foundry initiative as a "national treasure," emphasizing its role in rebuilding advanced semiconductor production capacity within the US after decades of manufacturing dominance in Asia.

Baidu said its core AI businesses became the majority of the company's revenue in the first quarter of 2026, driven by rapid growth in AI cloud infrastructure, expanded foundation-model support on its model-as-a-service platform Qianfan, and stronger commercial adoption of its Kunlunxin AI chips.