The “crisis theory” surrounding Samsung Electronics has recently garnered widespread attention across various sectors in South Korea. The predicament faced by the country’s largest conglomerate not only threatens the company itself but could also impact society, industry, employment, and tax revenues as a whole nation.

ASML Holding NV CEO Christophe Fouquet expects pressure will grow from the US to further restrict sales of semiconductor technology to China, the biggest market for the Dutch producer of chipmaking machines.

The second half of the year is typically a peak season for substrates. Despite market volatility, strong demand for AI continues to drive the global integrated circuit (IC) substrate market. The Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) anticipates that the global substrate market will reach US$15.32 billion in 2024, representing a yearly increase of 14.8%. A slight recovery is expected in 2025; however, due to the still low penetration rate of AI products, the supply-demand gap for substrates remains significant.