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☆ Atomera, STMicro sign deal to use new chipmaking material
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Atomera said the deal allows STMicro to install Atomera's technology in its factories, and manufacture and distribute chips made with it. Atomera has developed a new material that can slot into existing semiconductor manufacturing processes to improve transistors, the tiny electrical switches at the heart of all chips. Atomera claims its material in some cases can improve transistors as much as jumping to a new-generation technology, but with lower costs. Atomera Chief Executive Scott Bibaud told Reuters that STMicro, with the new deal, is now Atomera's closest customer to moving to mass production. Bibaud said there is no firm timeline for when chips with Atomera technology will be in production, but it could be within 12 to 18 months.

☆ South Korea's chip dilemma gets sharper
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China's security review of the $66 billion Micron is largely seen as retaliation against U.S. export controls on chipmaking technology. Yet Yoon has reason to do what America asks at the expense of South Korean companies. Bolstering the security alliance amid rising nuclear risks from North Korea will be on the top of his agenda; negotiating better terms for South Korean electric-car and chip investments into the United States will be another. As the chip war heats up, and threatens to widen, Seoul will find keeping its top two trading partners happy even tougher. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ US urges South Korea not to fill China shortfalls if Beijing bans Micron chips, Financial Times reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 23 (Reuters) - The United States asked South Korea to urge its chipmakers not to fill any market gap in China if Beijing bans memory chipmaker Micron (MU.O) from selling chips, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. The United States made the request as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol prepares to travel to Washington on Monday, the newspaper reported, according to four people familiar with the talks. China's cyberspace regulator Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in March that it would conduct a cybersecurity review of products sold in the country by Micron. In a response, Micron said that it is cooperating with the Chinese government and that its operations in China are normal. It has blacklisted a number of China's largest chip firms, including Micron rival Yangtze Memory Technologies Co Ltd.

☆ Chipmaking tool firms expect boom in China sales despite export rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

April 20 (Reuters) - Two companies that make tools for manufacturing chips said that they expect sales to China to boom later this year despite U.S. export restrictions on equipment used to make cutting-edge semiconductors. Lam is subject to the U.S. export restrictions, and ASML will face new rules from the Dutch government on China sales later this year. But those rules so far have only affected equipment used in making the most advanced chips. In Lam's case, it had originally estimated that the China restrictions would cost it between $2 billion and $2.5 billion of revenue in 2023. That's a jump from November, when ASML said China made up 18% of its then 38 billion euro backlog.

☆ Europe approves its $47 billion answer to Biden's CHIPS Act — here's everything that's in it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The initiative, dubbed the European Chips Act, seeks to help the bloc compete with the U.S. and Asia on tech, and secure control over a critical bit of technology behind the world's electronics products and devices. What's in the Chips Act? The European Chips Act is a massive, 43-billion-euro ($47 billion) package of public and private investments that aims to secure its supply chains, avert shortages of semiconductors in the future, and promote investment into the industry. The Chips Act has three main aims: Building large-scale capacity and innovation. "The Chips act puts Europe in the first line of cutting-edge technologies which are essential for our green and digital transitions."

The size of subsidies under the EU Chips Act, which aims to tempt the world's top chipmakers to build factories in the bloc and double its share of global output to 20% by 2030, lags the $52 billion CHIPS for America Act. Taiwan accounts for more than 60% of global chip production and concerns are growing about heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing. But Europe's relatively modest subsidies could put a brake on its ambition, said Richard Windsor of research company Radio Free Mobile. GOOD STARTThe EU Chips Act is a good start given the EU has little choice but to join the subsidy race, but the bloc should play to its chipmaking strengths, said Christopher Cytera, research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis. Catching up on the chips race is more than just building factories and the Chips Act acknowledges this with its focus on developing skilled labour for the future, said Anielle Guedes, senior research analyst at IDC Technologies.

☆ China concerned about Japan's plan to curb chipmaking gear exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, April 13 (Reuters) - China is highly concerned about Japan's plan to put export curbs on 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, Wang Shouwen, a Chinese vice commerce minister, said. The comments were made on Wednesday during a meeting with Japan's ambassador, Hideo Tarumi, in Beijing. In a commerce ministry statement on Thursday, Wang urged Japan to follow World Trade Organization rules to maintain stability of global supply chains. Japan recently said it would restrict the chip equipment exports, aligning its technology trade controls with a U.S. push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China reluctantly keeps sanctions powder dry
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Yet most trade measures Xi has taken so far are best seen as defensive tactics to protect market share from aspirant rivals in the West and India. The easiest option is picking on America’s $120-billion-plus of direct investment stock in China. Of course, that is no way for China to revive the decaying quantity and quality of the investment it receives. Chinese officials consistently say they welcome U.S. trade and investment and there is no reason to doubt them. The move comes after the United States implemented multiple restrictions on sales of chipmaking tools and components to China.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Micron, Pioneer Natural Resources, Block, AMC and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Micron Technology — Micron Technology's shares gained 8% after its rival Samsung Electronics announced that it plans to cut memory chip production in the near term. Excelerate Energy , EQT and other gas stocks — Shares of Excelerate Energy, EQT and other gas stocks ticked higher as natural gas futures climbed. Apple's stock price lost 2%, Google-parent Alphabet shed 2.8% and Microsoft lost 1.4%. New Fortress Energy — The stock gained 4% after Deutsche Bank initiated New Fortress as a buy. AMC's stock price popped 6.7%, IMAX soared by 2% and Cinemark gained 5.7%.

☆ ‘Everyone should want to own’ this discounted chip stock, says ‘Fast Money’ trader Tim Seymour
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Taiwan Semiconductor shares had a rough day, but it's a stock that "everyone should want to own" at these levels, according to Tim Seymour, founder and chief investment officer of Seymour Asset Management. "You want any chance to buy this stock on weakness," Seymour said on CNBC's "Fast Money." Taiwan Semiconductor is up roughly 19% from the start of the year. Indeed, the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) is up 26% in 2023. SMH YTD mountain VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) YTD —CNBC's Brian Evans and Hakyung Kim contributed reporting.

☆ Micron says operations normal in China amid government review
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 3 (Reuters) - Micron Technology Inc (MU.O) on Monday said that its business operations in China are normal while it is cooperating with a Chinese government cybersecurity review of its products. Last week, the Cyberspace Administration of China said it would conduct a security review of Micron's products sold in the country. The move comes amid a deepening rift between the United States and China over chip technology that has left companies caught in the crossfire. Micron is the only U.S.-based player in the global market for memory chips and is building a new $15 billion factory in upstate New York. Chinese companies have also been working to break into the memory market, but the U.S. last year restricted export of chipmaking tools to the country.

☆ Micron Technology: China probes US chip maker for cybersecurity risks as tech tension escalates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has launched a cybersecurity probe into Micron Technology, one of America’s largest memory chip makers, in apparent retaliation after US allies in Asia and Europe announced new restrictions on the sale of key technology to Beijing. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) will review products sold by Micron in the country, according to a statement by the watchdog late on Friday. Last month, the Netherlands also unveiled new restrictions on overseas sales of semiconductor technology, citing the need to protect national security. In October, the United States banned Chinese companies from buying advanced chips and chipmaking equipment without a license. “The Chinese government may restrict us from participating in the China market or may prevent us from competing effectively with Chinese companies,” it said last week.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ China to examine US chipmaker Micron's products for cybersecurity risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 31 (Reuters) - China's cyberspace regulator will conduct a cybersecurity review of products sold in the country by U.S. memory chip manufacturer Micron Technology Inc (MU.O), the regulator said on Friday. It gave no other details, including which Micron products it was reviewing. The Netherlands, which makes advanced lithography equipment critical for the manufacture of advanced chips, made a similar announcement earlier this month. Weak consumer demand has roiled the memory chip market, which is dominated by South Korea's Samsung Electronics (005930.KS). The larger chunk of the company's products flowing into China are being purchased by non-Chinese firms for use in products manufactured in the country, according to analysts.

☆ 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.

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.

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.

☆ US chip subsidy criteria could be a 'burden', says South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Samsung is building a chip plant in Texas that could cost over $25 billion and has said it is reviewing the guidelines. However, funding applications may require detailed cost structure information as well as projected wafer yields, utilisation rates and price changes, which three Korean chip sources told Reuters was akin to revealing corporate strategy. The United States' subsidy provisions should reflect the opinions of the government and companies of South Korea so they do not impose any undue burden on those companies, South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun said in a statement on Thursday. Ahn's comment came from a meeting with United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai in South Korea, a leading chipmaking country and major investor in the U.S. chip sector. The U.S. Department of Commerce will accept subsidy applications for leading-edge chip facilities from March 31, and for current-generation, mature-node and back-end production facilities from June 26.

☆ Huawei reportedly says it has developed domestic chip design tools despite U.S. sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Huawei reportedly said it has developed its own chip design tools, a move aimed at side-stepping U.S. sanctions and making the Chinese technology giant more self-sufficient in the semiconductor space. U.S. firms dominate the chip design tool market with companies like Synopsys and Cadence Design Systems . But in 2020, Washington, through sanctions, cut off Huawei from American chipmaking tools, which crippled the Chinese technology giant's smartphone business. Xu's speech said that the design tools would be for 14 nanometer chips and above. Pranay Kotasthane, chairperson of the high tech geopolitics program at the Takshashila Institution, told CNBC he would wait to see more details before knowing how effective Huawei's design tools are.

☆ Yellen: U.S. Could Intervene Again to Protect Banking System
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Skilled Workers Shortage Threatens Biden’s Plans For U.S. ChipmakingChipmaker Micron will have to overcome a massive shortage of skilled workers in order to open its planned semiconductor-manufacturing campus in the suburbs of Syracuse, N.Y. WSJ reporter Joseph De Avila joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the company is dealing with the shortage and what it says about the Biden administration's goal of increasing chipmaking in the U.S. Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH/REUTERS

☆ China’s Xi and Russia’s Putin Meet for Second Day: Key Takeaways
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ China’s Global Peacemaker Ambitions Put It in Competition With U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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