Venture capital firm VentureTech Alliance, mostly owned by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), recently put around US$40 million into LED epitaxy-wafer maker BridgeLux of the United States for a seat at the company`s director board.

The forecast heightens concern that a U.S. economic slowdown is curbing mobile-phone demand, especially for high-end models that can play music and surf the Web. Nokia Oyj, the world's biggest wireless-phone maker and Texas Instruments' largest customer, reported earnings last week that missed estimates and predicted a market slowdown.

Following this reclassification, and in contemplation of its planned disposal and resulting deconsolidation, the investment in Qimonda was reduced to its current fair value. The difference between the carrying value and the current fair value resulted in a write-down of Euro 1 billion, which will be recorded in “Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations” in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.

CEO Hector Ruiz said the company will focus on its core x86 processor and graphics business while other parts of the business will come under “scrutiny.”

Allegations of governance abuses help shed light on how the founding family maintains its grip on the conglomerate.

Silicon foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company(TSMC) has been hit by another legal setback in its case against UniRAM Technology.