South Korea's 8-inch wafer foundry DB HiTek reportedly has seen a significant increase in capacity utilization, thanks to demand from China.
Novatek Microelectronics, Taiwan's leading display driver IC (DDI) maker, reported a fourth-quarter 2024 revenue of NT$25.263 billion (US$768 million), marking a 9.34% sequential decline and 6.97% year-over-year decrease. The company's performance, though affected by seasonal consumer demand softness, exceeded its financial forecast.
China's semiconductor equipment purchases are expected to decline in 2025 after three years of growth, according to Canadian research firm TechInsights. The decline comes amid industry overcapacity and intensified US export controls.
The PC market is expected to show weak performance in the second half of 2024, but the industry remains optimistic about replacement demand in 2025. The introduction of PCIe Gen5 in high-end models is set to begin in Q2 2025, with a projected penetration rate of 5% for the year. Growth will further accelerate in 2026, with the overall penetration rate reaching 20-30%.
Micron Technology has launched the bidding process to secure a construction partner for the second phase of its ATMP project, as the first phase of its Indian ATMP facility faces delays, challenging India's goal of timely producing its first domestically manufactured chip.
Major South Korean companies saw their revenue from the North American market increase by around 20% in 2024, with high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market leader SK Hynix seeing the largest growth. However, potential new tariffs under consideration by US President Donald Trump, including a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports and new tariffs on semiconductors, could come as a significant blow if imposed.
Donald Trump's administration is implementing sweeping tariff reforms that reverse many of his predecessor's policies. The US has initiated a Section 301 investigation targeting China's mature semiconductor manufacturing and third-generation silicon carbide (SiC) technologies. With the Trump administration showing no signs of halting the probe, the investigation appears set to continue.
According to statistics from the Customs Administration of the Republic of China, Taiwan's total semiconductor exports in 2024 amounted to US$165 billion, with exports to China and Hong Kong reaching US$85.26 billion, representing 51.7% of the total. Shipments to the US market valued at US$7.4 billion accounted for 4.5% of Taiwan's total exports. Despite new tariffs imposed by the US government, the overall impact on Taiwan appears limited.
Japanese electronic components supplier Taiyo Yuden has revised its financial forecast for fiscal 2024 (ending March 31, 2025), expecting year-over-year increases in revenue and operating profit.
Holtek Semiconductor expects robust performance in the first quarter of 2025, driven by broad increases in microcontroller (MCU) demand and the company's expanded target markets.
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