Europe is tightening its semiconductor research links with Taiwan’s manufacturing engine, with French research institute CEA-Leti positioning itself as a primary gateway between the two ecosystems.

The semiconductor industry has formally entered the Foundry 2.0 era, a phase defined by the deep integration of manufacturing, assembly, and testing, profitably driven by the global AI boom. According to Counterpoint Research’s latest Foundry Market Supply Tracker, the global Foundry 2.0 market’s revenue grew to US$320 billion at 16% year-over-year.

Apple’s long-term push into OLED displays is beginning to reshape the competitive landscape for panel makers, opening new fronts even as it consolidates others.

After several years of decline, the machine tool industry is turning cautiously optimistic for 2026. However, geopolitical risks—particularly the US-Iran conflict—have replaced tariffs as the primary uncertainty, driving energy and material costs higher and prompting potential price increases across the sector.

Sony Honda Mobility has scrapped plans to launch its Afeela 1 electric vehicle in the US in 2026, halting both development and commercialization of the model. The decision also cancels a planned rollout in Japan scheduled for after 2027, as well as work on a second Afeela model that had been slated for unveiling at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show.

Elite Material (EMC), a leading Taiwanese copper-clad laminate (CCL) manufacturer, announced the completion of capacity expansions at its Huangshi and Zhongshan plants in China and its Penang plant in Malaysia in 2025. Over the next two years, the company will launch a new round of investments to simultaneously expand production in Taiwan, China, and Malaysia, targeting a global monthly capacity of 9.45 million sheets by the end of 2027.