Mistral to invest EUR1.2bn in Swedish AI data centres to expand European compute capacity

Mistral AI will invest EUR1.2 billion (US$1.43 billion) to build large-scale AI data centres in Sweden, marking its first infrastructure expansion outside France. The move positions the company at the centre of Europe’s push to secure domestic AI compute capacity and reduce reliance on foreign cloud infrastructure, Reuters and AFP reported.

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Applied Materials settles with BIS for US$252.5 million over SMIC shipments

Applied Materials, a Santa Clara-based semiconductor equipment maker, has reached a US$252.5 million settlement with the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to resolve allegations of illegal exports to China. The penalty represents the second-highest civil fine ever imposed by the BIS and the maximum amount permitted by statute — equal to twice the value of the illegal transactions.

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Acer, Asus January PC surge faces 2Q26 reckoning on memory shortages

Notebook brands Acer and Asus posted strong January revenue, defying the usual seasonal slowdown. The supply chain, however, remains cautious — the momentum, sources warn, is short-lived. When inventories of key components are drawn down by the second quarter of 2026, and price increases are passed on to end consumers, the real test will begin. As Warren Buffett famously put it: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.”

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Taiwan ODMs split in early 2026 as business transition takes hold

Taiwan’s leading original design manufacturers (ODMs) are entering 2026 at different stages of transition, as efforts to expand into AI servers and automotive electronics intersect with seasonal softness and shifting demand in legacy businesses. January 2026 results from Pegatron and Compal Electronics illustrate how the two companies are navigating that shift with contrasting near-term outcomes.

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