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☆ Japan to add $2.3 billion subsidy to Rapidus for Chitose chip plant, media report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 10 (Reuters) - Japan's industry ministry is finalising a plan to provide state-backed chip maker Rapidus an additional 300 billion yen ($2.27 billion) in funding to build a semiconductor plant in the northern island of Hokkaido, a local paper reported on Saturday. Rapidus, which in February picked Chitose, near Sapporo, as the site for a cutting-edge two-nanometre chip factory, previously secured an initial 70 billion yen funding from the government. The additional grant will be used to help Rapidus build a prototype line scheduled to launch in 2025, the Hokkaido Shimbun paper said, citing multiple unidentified sources. The Japanese government is also offering up to 476 billion yen in subsidies to a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW) plant in Kyushu, in which Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and Denso Corp (6902.T) each have a minority stake. ($1 = 132.3100 yen)Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Micron, Pioneer Natural Resources, Tesla and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pioneer Natural Resources – The stock popped 7% before the bell after the Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon Mobil has held informal talks to acquire Pioneer. Exxon shares fell 0.6%. Tesla – The electric vehicle stock fell nearly 2% before the bell. First Republic – Shares fell more than 3% after the regional bank suspended dividend payments on preferred stock. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing – U.S.-listed shares of the Taiwan-based semiconductor stock fell nearly 1% before the bell after the company reported a monthly drop in revenue.

☆ Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey announces re-election bid for fourth term
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Summer Concepcion | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., on Monday announced he will seek a fourth term in the battleground state next year as Democrats fight to keep their Senate majority. "I'm running for re-election because with so much on the line for Pennsylvania's working families, I want to keep delivering results for Pennsylvania," Casey said in a statement announcing his re-election campaign. No other candidates for the 2024 Pennsylvania Senate race have been officially announced. During his time in the Senate, Casey has joined Republicans and other Democrats to negotiate bipartisan bills. Casey, who has long held anti-abortion views, had a complicated stance on the government's role in abortion rights.

☆ Elon Musk reveals plans for a new factory making Megapacks on Shanghai visit, while Apple mulls 'decoupling' from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk announced plans Sunday for a new battery factory in Shanghai during a visit there. Rep. Mike Gallagher met with Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this month to discuss ties with China. While the Tesla CEO is continuing to invest in China, other companies may be looking at ways to distance themselves. Gallagher told Bloomberg that he didn't expect companies to sever all ties with China. Tesla, Apple, and Gallagher didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

☆ Lawmakers meet with Apple, Disney CEOs as part of talks on competition with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

High-profile tech and media executives shared their experiences of working in and competing with China with lawmakers who visited California this week. Over the three-day trip that kicked off on Wednesday, lawmakers were scheduled to meet with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Apple CEO Tim Cook, as well as high-level executives from Google , Microsoft , Palantir and Scale AI. The trip highlights the key role tech and media industries play in America's increasingly complex relationship with China. In Hollywood, the group of lawmakers from the select committee learned about a range of topics related to competition with China. The group was also slated to meet with venture capitalists on Thursday, including Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures and SV Angel.

☆ IMF says U.S-China tensions could cost the world about 2% of its output
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES - DECEMBER 26: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) building is seen in Washington D.C., United States on December 26, 2022. The IMF pointed to recent bills adopted against the backdrop of rising tensions between the U.S. and China, such as Washington's Chips and Science Act. Japan recently imposed its own restrictions on 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, joining U.S. efforts to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. A recent survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China similarly showed a shift of foreign direct investment away from China. Less than half of its respondents ranked China as a top three investment priority for the first time in 25 years.

☆ China urges WTO to sift US-led chip export curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 5 (Reuters) - China has urged the World Trade Organization to scrutinise US-led technology export restrictions aimed at curbing its ability to make advanced chips, state television said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the commerce ministry said Beijing wasseriously concerned about Japan's export curbs on chip-making equipment and called for it to correct its "wrong practice". The move of the three nations in alignment to curb chip exports to China "violates the fairness and transparency principles of WTO", CCTV said. Last week, without specifying China as the target, Japan had said it would restrict export of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a move in line with Washington's curbs announced last October. China has accused the U.S. of being a "tech hegemony" and urged the Netherlands not to follow it.

☆ Stocks that hike their dividends outperform the next six months. Here are a few
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Companies that raise their dividends do more than offer higher income for investors — their stocks also outperform over the next six months, according to Morgan Stanley. Investors are seeking better-yielding dividend stocks as they navigate a higher interest rate environment. In a review of relative price returns, excluding dividends, among Russell 1000 constituents, companies that increased their dividends saw their stocks rise an average of 3.9% in the six months following the announcement, the firm said. On the other hand, companies that cut their dividends underperformed even more sharply, down 9.6% six months after an announcement. Given this, Morgan Stanley found some firms that recently raised their dividends by at least 10%.

☆ China calls on Japan to correct chip export restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, April 4 (Reuters) - China is seriously concerned about Japanese export restrictions on chip manufacturing equipment and called on it to correct its "wrong practice", the Chinese commerce ministry said on Tuesday. "China will take decisive measures to safeguard its rights and interests if Japan insists on obstructing the chip industry cooperation between the two countries," it said in a statement. Japan said last week it would restrict exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, aligning its technology trade controls with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. Reporting by Ella Cao and Meg Shen; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan aims to treble sales of domestically made microchips by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 3 (Reuters) - Japan's industry ministry said on Monday it aimed to treble sales of semiconductors made in Japan to 15 trillion yen ($112.55 billion) by 2030 as Tokyo strives to boost domestic microchip production following global supply chain snarls. Japan sees microchips as strategic products to strengthen its economic security and is providing hefty subsidies to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW) and others to build plants tin o Japan or have them expand existing facilities. The ministry plans to put the sales target in Japan's semiconductor and digital industry strategy, which will be updated by the middle of the year. Japan has seen its share in the global microchip market tumble from 50% in the late 1980s to around 10%, outperformed by nimbler rivals with deep pockets such as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS). ($1 = 133.2700 yen)Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China urges Japan not to back U.S. chip export restrictions as Washington tries to rally allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Washington has been trying to convince allies to back its chip export restrictions to China. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang urged Japan not to support U.S. curbs on China's semiconductor industry, as Washington continues to try to rally nations behind its chip export restrictions. Japan on Friday announced export restrictions on 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, but did not specifically name China. While these countries have put some export restrictions in place, they are still trying to maintain trade ties with China. Japan, whose biggest trading partner is China, has maintained that its chip export curtailments are not aimed at any specific country.

☆ China dissatisfied with Japan's chip export restrictions -spokesperson
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, April 3 (Reuters) - China was strongly dissatisfied with Japan's export restrictions on chip manufacturing equipment, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday. China hoped Japan would act on its statements of cooperation with China and take an objective stance, Mao told reporters at a regular briefing. Japan said on Friday it would restrict exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, aligning its technology trade controls with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. read moreReporting by Beijing newsroom Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Orsted to build two wind farms offshore Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Orsted A/S FollowOSLO, March 31 (Reuters) - Orsted (ORSTED.CO) has made a final investment decision to go ahead with its planned 920 megawatt (MW) Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms in Taiwan with expected completion by the end of 2025, the Danish energy group said on Friday. The offshore wind farms are expected to begin onshore construction in 2023 with fabrication of components in 2023-2024. The projects will be funded by Orsted's capital as well as debt from the domestic Taiwanese market, backed by an Orsted parent company guarantee. The company did not say how much it would invest in the wind farms. Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Louise RasmussenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan to restrict chipmaking equipment exports as it aligns with US China curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japan, home to major global chip equipment makers such as Nikon Corp (7731.T) and Tokyo Electron Ltd (8035.T), did not specify China as the target of those measures, saying equipment makers will need to seek export permission for all regions. Japan and the Netherlands in January agreed join the U.S. in restrict chipmaking equipment exports to China that could be used to manufacture sub-14 nanometre chips, but did not announce the pact to avoid provoking Beijing, sources earlier said. The Netherlands' government in a letter to parliament this month said it plans to restrict chipmaking equipment exports. The ministry said it will impose export controls on six categories of equipment used in chip manufacturing, including cleaning, deposition, lithography and etching. Tokyo Electron and Screen were little changed.

☆ Morning Bid: Q1 was hard to get a handle on, and a choppy Q2 beckons
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pulling in one direction is a bank collapse that set interest rate expectations diving. After a month of wild swings for bonds and interest rate futures, rate expectations are settling around a peak in the Fed funds rate near 5% and then steady downhill from there. Euro zone inflation data later in the day can reinforce that, if it echoes stronger-than-expected German figures published on Thursday. Nerves on banks and lower U.S. Treasury yields have delivered investors into the arms of profitable, big cap technology companies. Q1 world marketsKey developments that could influence markets on Friday:Economics: Euro zone inflation, U.S. core PCEReporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: The Japanese chipmaking equipment manufacturers navigating export curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are some of Japan's leading manufacturers of tools used to make semiconductors. In October-December, its chip equipment sales in China fell 22.3% from a year earlier to 102.7 billion yen, accounting for 22.4% of its total chip equipment sales in the quarter. SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD (7735.T)Screen is the world's largest manufacturer of equipment used to clean silicon wafers. The company expects shipments to China to make up 20% of chipmaking equipment sales of 375 billion yen for the year to March. About 40% of sales from its lithography machines business, which combines semiconductor lithography and flat panel display lithography equipment, is generated in China.

☆ Japan to restrict chipmaking equipment exports as it aligns with U.S. China curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It did not specify China as the target of those measures, saying equipment makers will need to seek export permission for all regions. Japan and the Netherlands in January agreed join the U.S. in restrict chipmaking equipment exports to China that could be used to manufacture sub-14 nanometre chips, but did not announce the pact to avoid provoking Beijing, sources earlier said. A nanometre, or one-billionth of a meter, refers to a specific semiconductor industry technology, with fewer nanometres generally meaning the chip is more advanced. The Netherlands' government in a letter to the country's parliament this month also said it plans to restrict chipmaking equipment exports. China, which has accused the U.S. of being a "tech hegemony" because of its export restrictions, urged the Netherlands "not to follow export control measure by certain countries".

☆ Japan to restrict chipmaking equipment exports, aligning it with U.S. China curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japan's government on Friday said it plans to restrict exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, aligning it with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. It did not specify China as the target of those measures, saying equipment makers will need to seek export permission for all regions. The Netherlands' government in a letter to the country's parliament this month also said it plans to restrict chipmaking equipment exports. Japan and the Netherlands in January agreed join the U.S. in restrict chipmaking equipment exports to China, sources earlier said, although Tokyo has never publicly acknowledged that there was an agreement. China has accused the U.S. of being a "tech hegemony" because of its export restrictions.

☆ Japan to restrict chipmaking equipment exports as it aligns with U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Employees move semiconductor testers on the assembly line of the Advantest Corp. plant in Ora, Japan on Aug. 10, 2012. Japan's government on Friday said it plans to restrict exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, aligning its technology trade controls with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. The trade and industry minister in a press release said it will impose export controls on six categories of equipment used in chip manufacturing, including cleaning, deposition, lithography and etching. The export restrictions, which will come into force in July, are likely to affect equipment manufactured by a dozen Japanese companies, such as Nikon , Tokyo Electron , Screen Holdings and Advantest . Washington, however, needs Japan and the Netherlands, which are key suppliers of such equipment, to join it to make those restrictions effective.

☆ Taiwan says US officials have visited to discuss concerns about chip subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-Hua and the Speaker of the Czech Republic parliament Marketa Pekarova Adamova attend a Taiwan-Czech Joint Business Council Meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, March 27, 2023. REUTERS/I-Hwa ChengTAIPEI, March 31 (Reuters) - The United States has sent officials to Taiwan to listen to concerns in the chip industry about the criteria for new U.S. semiconductor subsidies, Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Friday. The criteria are worrying companies like Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) and SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS), South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Thursday, a concern shared by the world's leading contract chipmaker in Taiwan, TSMC (2330.TW). "The U.S. side has sent relevant officials to Taiwan to listen to the industry's opinions, to collect their views," she added, without giving details. "Following on, if the industry needs the government to help communicate with the United States, the Economy Ministry will certainly assist with communication," Wang said.

☆ Japan foreign minister Hayashi to visit Beijing on Saturday
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday he will visit Beijing for two days from Saturday to discuss a range of issues, including the detention of an Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T) employee. Hayashi told reporters he will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang during the visit for "an honest and frank discussion to create a constructive and stable relationship". Hayashi's visit to China follows leadership-level talks held on the sidelines of an international summit last November, the first between the two countries in almost three years. At the time, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he conveyed his concerns over China's increasing maritime military presence but also said the two leaders agreed to reopen diplomatic channels of communications including a visit by Japan's foreign minister to China in the near future. Reporting by Sakura Murakami and Rocky Swift; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Hong Kong/Tokyo CNN —Japan will restrict the overseas sale of chip manufacturing equipment, joining the United States and the Netherlands in curbing the export of key technology to China. The ministry said it would require stricter procedures to export to about 160 destinations such as China, while 42 territories — including the United States, South Korea and Taiwan — are recognized by Japan as having adequate export controls in place. All exports to countries not formally recognized will now require approval from the Japanese trade ministry, it added. The restrictions are not aimed at a specific country, the trade ministry told CNN on Friday. In October, the United States banned Chinese companies from buying advanced chips and chipmaking equipment without a license.

REUTERS/Nacho DoceTOKYO/SEOUL, March 31 (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) is considering setting up a chip test line in Japan, five people said, to bolster its advanced packaging business and forge closer ties with Japanese makers of semiconductor equipment and materials. It would be the first such test line in Japan for Samsung, the world's largest maker of memory chips. Companies are racing to develop advanced packaging techniques, which involve placing chips with different functions into a single package, to enhance overall capabilities and limit the added cost of more advanced chips. The test line would involve the so-called back-end process of chipmaking, according to the five people, which refers to a process in which semiconductors are cut and assembled into products. Samsung last year set up an advanced packaging team in South Korea.

☆ SK Hynix to seek further exemption from US chip curbs against China -CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, March 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) will ask the United States for a year's further exemption from chip curbs against China, the chief executive of the world's No. In October last year, SK Hynix said it had received authorisation from the U.S. commerce department for a year to supply equipment needed for chip production in facilities in China, without seeking additional licensing requirements. The United States announced curbs on exports of chip-making equipment to China, requiring licenses for U.S. companies to export advanced chips and chip-making equipment in a bid to slow China's technological advance. On Wednesday, the company it would pursue previously announced plans to build an advanced chip packaging plant in the United States as the review process ends. Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Additional Reporting by Heekyong Yang; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China tackles chip talent shortage with new courses, higher pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Josh Horwitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

China faces a shortage of an estimated 200,000 industry workers this year, according to a white paper jointly published by the China Center for Information Industry Development, a government think tank, and the China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA), a trade group. A 2022 survey from Chinese research firm ICWise found more than 60% of students studying chip engineering in China graduate with no internship experience in the field. In Taiwan, top chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW) has established research centres at four universities. Its largest chip foundry, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (0981.HK), in 2021 announced a jointly-established School of Integrated Circuits at Shenzhen Technology University. "If I didn't switch to chip engineering, I would probably have to find a job in a traditional manufacturing industry like cars or machinery," he said.

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