EU eyes tariffs on Chinese PHEVs as BEV curbs prove ineffective

The EU has imposed higher tariffs on Chinese battery electric vehicles (BEV) for more than a year, but the impacts have been limited. According to foreign media reports, the EU is now turning its attention to Chinese plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), and could impose additional import duties in the interest of ensuring industrial competitiveness and strategic autonomy in Europe.

Continue reading

AI data center buildout fuels optical interconnect race, but 6-inch InP wafers hit supply wall

Technology giants are continuing to expand AI computing infrastructure, driving demand for high-performance optical interconnect components. US optical communications leaders Coherent and Lumentum are actively developing 6-inch indium phosphide (InP) wafer production technology. Industry sources said 4-inch wafers remain the mainstream format, but fast-growing demand in optical communications is accelerating the shift toward 6-inch substrates. Supply constraints, however, persist, with substrate technology maturity and supply availability cited as the main bottlenecks.

Continue reading

Nippon Sanso raises helium prices over 30% on Middle East instability-driven supply crunch

Industrial gas manufacturer Nippon Sanso Holdings announced it will raise prices for all helium products in the Japanese market starting in July 2026, with an average price increase of more than 30%. Affected products include helium used in key applications such as semiconductor front-end process wafer cooling and medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment. The move is mainly driven by geopolitical instability in the Middle East.

Continue reading

Fulltech sees low DK2 shipments rising, starts M9 quartz cloth certification

Fulltech, a glass fiber yarn and cloth maker, said at its 2026 annual general meeting that demand for next-generation AI servers and high-speed switches is lifting specifications and demand for upstream PCB materials. Chairman Yuan-Pin Chang said the share of low DK2 shipments will keep rising in the second half of 2026, helping optimize the product mix and boost revenue and profitability.

Continue reading