Affected by the US-Iran war and notebook price hikes, global notebook shipments are likely to increase only 4.4% quarterly in the second quarter of 2026.

Global semiconductor sales reached US$298.5 billion in the first quarter of 2026, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported, underscoring robust worldwide demand with possible implications for technology supply chains, pricing, and production investment. The results come as markets eye a potential US$1 trillion year, driven by broad regional growth across Asia Pacific, the Americas, and China.

Alphabet has significantly expanded its global borrowing program to finance artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, raising nearly US$17 billion through euro- and Canadian dollar-denominated bonds in its latest funding push, according to Bloomberg. The move includes its largest-ever euro bond sale and its first issuance in Canadian dollars, underscoring the scale of capital required for AI-related investments.