Production of Apple’s AirPods at Foxconn’s Telangana factory has encountered supply disruptions due to China’s tightening grip on rare earth element exports, particularly dysprosium—an essential component used in high-performance magnets inside AirPods. The shortage reflects the growing impact of geopolitical tensions on global tech supply chains.

As the US prepares to impose steep tariffs on imported copper, global copper prices have rebounded, raising concerns about rising costs across copper-intensive industries. Among the most vulnerable is the copper-clad laminate (CCL) industry, a foundational pillar of printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, where higher raw material prices could compress margins and trigger price hikes downstream.

Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving unit, has pulled ahead in the robotaxi race, reporting a fivefold surge in rides over the past year to 250,000 paid trips per week as of April. However, as Tesla prepares its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo now faces pressure to scale faster and reduce costs, beginning with how its vehicles are manufactured.