China's immersion DUV lithography programme has brought a little-known state-backed company into focus. Shanghai Aishengna Electronic Technology Group, founded in August 2023 with CNY7 billion (approx. US$1.03 billion) in registered capital, is reportedly coordinating limited production of domestically developed lithography systems.
Driven by robust AI-related demand for advanced packaging and testing, ASE Technology Holding has raised its 2026 capital expenditure budget for a second time this year to a record US$10.5 billion, up from its original plan of US$8.5 billion.
Automotive chip sales are improving across Europe and the US, but major suppliers say global carmakers and their suppliers are still buying largely for immediate needs. A fuller inventory rebuild — one that could affect prices and supply globally — has yet to begin, leaving the recovery more cautious than expected.
Memory shortages are tightening across the supply chain, and higher contract prices are set to ripple through global electronics markets. With DRAM lead times stretching and suppliers holding firm, buyers of servers, PCs, and mobile devices may face more cost pressure, even as end-market demand remains uneven worldwide.
Amazon has raised its 2026 capital expenditure plan by roughly US$20 billion and attributed the increase to a single input cost: memory.
China's lithography equipment sector has returned to the global semiconductor spotlight following reports that a domestically developed immersion deep ultraviolet (DUV) system has entered mass production.
