chipmakers

Dutch chip equipment maker ASML says it is not selling its chipmaking machines in Europe, warning that the region risks falling behind the US, China and India in semiconductors. The remarks are drawing attention to Europe's limited role in advanced chip manufacturing despite hosting ASML itself, and are fueling debate about industrial policy and investment in the region.

ASML, the Dutch maker of advanced lithography equipment, has said it currently sells no chipmaking machines within Europe, according to an executive. The statement highlights how the continent, despite hosting one of the world's most critical semiconductor suppliers, lacks major chip manufacturing customers of its own, fueling discussion about Europe's limited position in global chip production.

Reports indicate China is considering relaxing restrictions on NVIDIA's AI chips, a potential shift in its stance on foreign semiconductors amid the ongoing US-China technology standoff. Any easing would affect Chinese companies seeking high-end AI hardware and could reshape the competitive landscape for global chipmakers.

Nvidia has introduced an open-source tool aimed at improving the security of artificial intelligence systems, according to a report carried by Seeking Alpha. The move positions the chipmaker to address growing concerns about vulnerabilities and abuse in AI deployments, and adds to Nvidia's expanding software ecosystem alongside its dominant AI hardware business. Investors and developers are watching how the tool will be adopted across the industry.

Market chatter is focused on reports that Nvidia's newest AI chips could be permitted to enter the Chinese market. Traders and analysts are weighing what renewed access for the US chipmaker would mean for China's AI buildout, for rivals like Huawei, and for the company's multibillion-dollar data centre business, which has been constrained by US export controls.

Nvidia has announced a set of AI security tools aimed at preventing breaches involving autonomous AI agents. The announcement, covered by Yahoo Finance Canada, positions the chipmaker to address growing concerns that AI agents acting on users' behalf could be exploited or hijacked by attackers.

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has dismissed warnings from Anthropic that artificial intelligence could pose catastrophic risks, saying there is a '0% chance' AI destroys the world by 2030. His comments put him directly at odds with leading AI lab executives pushing for stronger safety precautions. The remarks are drawing attention given Nvidia's central role in supplying the chips powering the AI boom, and critics may see a commercial interest in his optimism.

Qualcomm announced two new smartphone chips, strengthening its push into on-device artificial intelligence as competition among chipmakers intensifies. The announcement came alongside the company's earnings update, but investors were unmoved: Qualcomm shares slipped modestly in after-hours trading despite the new product launches. Attention is on how the company's AI-capable silicon will fare against rivals in the premium smartphone market.

Barron's reports that Nvidia's stock is holding up despite a broad downturn across the semiconductor sector, attributing its resilience to three key reasons. Investors are watching the chipmaker closely as peers slide, debating whether Nvidia's strength reflects durable fundamentals such as AI demand or a temporary divergence from wider industry weakness.

A new report says China is planning to allow ByteDance and Alibaba to purchase Nvidia chips, signalling a possible easing of restrictions on US semiconductor access for major Chinese tech firms. China was once one of Nvidia's largest markets before export controls sharply limited such sales, so any reopening would be a significant development for both the chipmaker and Chinese AI companies.

Industry coverage highlights how the AI chip boom is reshaping the semiconductor sector, accelerating transformation across chipmakers and pushing up demand for specialised materials used in advanced fabrication. Analysts note that surging investment in AI hardware is changing supply chains and creating new opportunities for materials suppliers. Observers are weighing how sustainable this demand growth will be as AI development continues at pace.

Investors are watching Dow Jones futures as comments from Donald Trump on Iran add uncertainty to markets at the start of trading. Attention is also on individual stocks, with Micron, SpaceX and Tesla seen as approaching technical buy points. Traders are weighing geopolitical headlines against stock-specific opportunities, with chipmaker Micron and Tesla among the names drawing interest from growth investors tracking market conditions.

VIS, the Taiwanese chipmaker, says the joint venture fab it runs with Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors has entered the initial production stage. The milestone marks the start of output at the plant, which is expected to supply chips for automotive and industrial uses. Further details on capacity, yield ramp-up and timing for full-scale production were not given in the initial announcement.

China is broadening its approach to extreme ultraviolet lithography by researching alternative EUV light sources instead of only trying to replicate ASML's lithography platform, according to DigiTimes Asia. The move suggests Beijing is pursuing different technical routes to advanced chipmaking as it works around export controls on Western semiconductor equipment.

A report claims Apple's entire 2027 iPhone lineup could ship without Qualcomm modem chips, as the company continues rolling out its own in-house modem, starting with the iPhone SE and extending across the range. However, Apple reportedly cannot fully break away from Qualcomm yet, since it still relies on the chipmaker for certain components, keeping the two tied together for now.

The Trump administration is moving to redirect unallocated CHIPS Act funds while relying on tariff threats rather than subsidies to push chipmaking onshore. TSMC retained its $6.6 billion federal grant, but pressure from tariff threats led it to raise its total US investment pledge from $65 billion to more than $165 billion. Commentators note this shifts reshoring costs onto private capital, though tariffs are seen as a far slower route to building semiconductor capacity than direct subsidies.

AMD and Broadcom are drawing divided views from Wall Street analysts over which company is better positioned to win the next phase of the AI chip market. The two semiconductor firms are racing to supply custom and accelerative computing hardware as demand for AI infrastructure surges, and investors are split on which strategy will pay off.

US contract chipmaker GlobalFoundries reports strong demand for Chinese optical modules as data centre construction accelerates. The company is expanding its presence in China to serve domestic clients amid an infrastructure boom, positioning itself to benefit from heavy investment in data centres despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing over semiconductor supply chains.

Infineon Technologies has begun sampling 120-amp power chips designed for AI accelerators, a move that targets the growing demand for efficient power delivery in AI data centers. As AI systems consume more power, chipmakers are racing to supply components that manage higher currents in compact server designs, and Infineon's latest offering positions it among the suppliers competing for this market.