The ongoing Middle East conflict is disrupting global oil and natural gas supplies and triggering an energy crisis that has pushed up international crude prices. Market expectations for higher inflation have risen, potentially delaying the US Federal Reserve’s timeline for interest rate cuts, industry participants say.

Samsung has reportedly secured an order to supply 12GB LPDDR5X DRAM for Apple’s first foldable iPhone, negotiating a sharply higher price than in previous memory contracts.

Asia Optical reported robust growth in 2025, with net revenue reaching NT$26.446 billion (US$831.1 million), up 15% year-over-year, and operating profit increasing 28%. Despite a fourth-quarter gross margin decline due to exchange rates, inventory adjustments, and material cost changes, the company maintained solid cash flow and zero debt while investing over NT$1 billion in production equipment for future expansion.