Core Insights - The global semiconductor industry is facing significant challenges, with several major wafer fabs halting operations, delaying construction, or closing production lines, leading to a substantial impact on the entire sector [1] Group 1: GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics - The joint wafer fab project between GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics in Crolles, France, has been stalled after 18 months of slow progress, with a total investment of €7.5 billion expected from the European Chips Act [2] - The new 12-inch semiconductor wafer fab was initially planned to be fully operational by 2026, with an annual capacity of 620,000 wafers [2] Group 2: Sumitomo Electric - Sumitomo Electric has decided to cancel its new silicon carbide (SiC) wafer fab project due to weak demand in the electric vehicle market and uncertainty regarding the recovery timeline, which was announced in 2023 with an investment plan of ¥30 billion [3] - The project aimed to produce 180,000 SiC wafers annually by 2027, but this plan has been completely scrapped [3] - Industry insiders suggest that Sumitomo Electric may redirect resources to other growth areas, such as automotive wiring harnesses and optical components for data centers, to offset losses in the SiC wafer business [3] Group 3: Wolfspeed - Wolfspeed announced plans to close its 6-inch SiC wafer fab in Durham, North Carolina, due to higher manufacturing costs compared to its 8-inch fab in Mohawk Valley, with the CEO indicating an evaluation of the closure timeline [4] - The construction of a 200mm SiC wafer fab in Ernsdorf, Germany, has been postponed from summer 2024 to 2025 [4] Group 4: Intel - Intel has delayed the construction of its Fab 29.1 and Fab 29.2 facilities near Magdeburg, Germany, due to pending EU subsidy approvals and the need to clear and reuse topsoil, with the start date pushed from summer 2024 to May 2025 [5] - The advanced manufacturing facilities using Intel's 14A (1.4nm) and 10A (1nm) processes, originally expected to begin operations by the end of 2027, are now estimated to start production between 2029 and 2030 [5] - Intel's chip project in Ohio, announced in January 2022 with an initial investment of over $20 billion, has also faced delays, with construction now pushed to 2026-2027 and expected operations starting in 2027-2028 due to weak market demand and delayed government subsidies [6]

Core Viewpoint - The global semiconductor industry is facing significant challenges, with several well-known wafer fabs halting operations, delaying construction, or closing production lines, leading to a major impact on the entire industry [2]. Group 1: GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics - The joint wafer fab project between GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics in Crolles, France, has been halted after 18 months of slow progress. The project, initially planned with a total investment of €7.5 billion, aimed for full production by 2026 with an annual capacity of 620,000 wafers [3]. Group 2: Sumitomo Electric - Sumitomo Electric has decided to cancel its new silicon carbide (SiC) wafer fab project due to weak demand in the electric vehicle market and uncertainty regarding the recovery timeline. The project, announced in 2023 with an investment of ¥30 billion, was expected to start production in 2027 [4]. - The company plans to redirect resources to other growth areas, such as automotive wiring harnesses, environmentally friendly power cables, and optical components for data centers, to offset losses from the SiC wafer business [4]. Group 3: Wolfspeed - Wolfspeed announced the closure of its 6-inch SiC wafer fab in Durham, North Carolina, due to higher manufacturing costs compared to its 8-inch fab in Mohawk Valley. The timeline for this closure is currently under evaluation [5]. - Additionally, the construction of a 200mm SiC wafer fab in Ernsdorf, Germany, has been postponed from summer 2024 to 2025 [5]. Group 4: Intel - Intel has delayed the construction of its Fab 29.1 and Fab 29.2 facilities near Magdeburg, Germany, due to pending EU subsidy approvals and the need to clear and reuse topsoil. The projects, originally set to start in summer 2024, are now pushed to May 2025 [6]. - The start of production at Intel's advanced fabs using 14A (1.4nm) and 10A (1nm) processes, initially planned for late 2027, is now estimated to begin between 2029 and 2030 [6]. - Intel's chip project in Ohio, announced in January 2022 with an initial investment of over $20 billion, has also faced delays, with construction now pushed to 2026-2027 and production expected to start in 2027-2028 [6].

USAR’s announcement also clipped MP Materials (NYSE: MP) in the short term, and Lango argued it was more about narrative than fundamentals.Lango’s “why” is the durable part. Rare earths aren’t just another commodity cycle in his view. They’re a strategic input across the AI buildout, including motors, magnets, data center hardware, and physical AI devices. In addition, the United States is trying to reduce dependence on China, which controls most of the processing market.Big, fast repricings like that tend ...

Group 1: Market Reaction - The prices of gold and silver experienced significant declines, with gold dropping over 12% to a low of $4682 per ounce, marking the largest single-day drop in 40 years, and closing down 9.25% at $4880 per ounce [2] - Silver saw an unprecedented drop of over 36%, reaching a low of $74.28 per ounce, and closing down 26.42% at $85.259 per ounce [2] - The U.S. stock market indices collectively fell, with the Dow Jones down 0.36%, S&P 500 down 0.43%, and Nasdaq down 0.94%, reflecting increased market concerns [3] Group 2: Influencing Factors - The sell-off in gold and silver was triggered by a rebound in the U.S. dollar, following reports of President Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve Chairman, which was later confirmed [2][4] - Standard Chartered's global head of commodity research noted that the market was already due for a correction, and the announcement of the Fed Chair nominee, along with broader macroeconomic factors, acted as catalysts for profit-taking [2] - The U.S. dollar index saw a significant increase, marking its largest single-day rise since July of the previous year, which negatively impacted investor confidence in gold and silver [2] Group 3: Sector Performance - The gold sector faced substantial losses, with major companies like Newmont down 11.52%, Barrick Gold down 12.09%, and AngloGold down 13.28% [3] - The technology sector also experienced declines, with major tech stocks like Meta and TSMC dropping nearly 3%, while Amazon fell by 1% [3] - Chinese concept stocks saw a downturn, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index closing down 2.36%, and individual stocks like Bilibili and Li Auto dropping over 3% [3]

GlobalFoundries Inc. (NASDAQ:GFS) is one of the new stocks on the rise. On January 15, following a transfer of coverage, Citi raised its price target on GlobalFoundries to $42 from $35 with a Neutral rating on the shares. As part of this update, the firm rolled forward its valuation model to 2027 estimates, shifting from 2026. In other news, on January 14, GlobalFoundries Inc. (NASDAQ:GFS) executed a definitive agreement to acquire Synopsys Inc.’s (NASDAQ:SNPS) ARC Processor IP Solutions business, includ ...

Company Overview - GlobalFoundries operates in the semiconductor space as a pure-play foundry, meaning it does not engage in designing its own chips, unlike integrated chip companies [1] Business Model - The company's business model focuses solely on semiconductor manufacturing without any design involvement, positioning it uniquely in the semiconductor industry [1] Investment Focus - The company is geared towards long-term and medium-term value investments, emphasizing firms with strong fundamentals and a sector-agnostic approach [1]

Core Viewpoint - World Advanced has signed a technology licensing agreement with TSMC for high-voltage (650V) and low-voltage (80V) GaN process technology, aiming to accelerate the development of next-generation GaN power components for various applications, enhancing its position in high-efficiency power conversion [2][3] Group 1: Technology Development - The licensing agreement will enable World Advanced to expand its GaN-on-Si process to high-voltage applications, providing a complete GaN-on-Si platform alongside its existing GaN-on-QST platform, making it the only company globally to offer both types of GaN wafer manufacturing services [2] - The development work is set to begin in early 2026, with mass production expected in the first half of 2028 [2] Group 2: Market Applications - GaN technology is becoming a key material for next-generation power technology due to its high efficiency, high power density, and miniaturization characteristics, addressing the limitations of traditional silicon-based processes [2] - World Advanced is constructing GaN process technology covering a range from 15V to 1200V, providing customers with flexible and competitive options [2] Group 3: Company Operations - World Advanced operates five 8-inch wafer fabs located in Taiwan and Singapore, with an average monthly capacity of approximately 286,000 8-inch wafers expected in 2025 [3] - The company and its subsidiaries employ over 7,000 people [3]

On Wednesday, Shares of New York-based chip manufacturer GlobalFoundries (GFS) jumped amid an acquisition, and a push deeper into the AI chip sector. On Jan. 14, the chip foundry announced it's buying a business unit from chip design software maker Synopsys (SNPS) that will enhance GlobalFoundries capability to make artificial intelligence chips. GlobalFoundries Joins Elite Stock Group On Wednesday, GFS… ...

Core Insights - GlobalFoundries has appointed Ganesh Moorthy to its board of directors, effective immediately, bringing extensive experience in the semiconductor industry [1][2] Group 1: Leadership Experience - Mr. Moorthy has over four decades of experience in the semiconductor sector, including transformative leadership roles at Microchip Technology, where he served as CEO and president until November 2024 [2] - He held senior leadership positions at Microchip, including COO and executive vice president, and spent 19 years at Intel in engineering and executive roles [2] Group 2: Strategic Importance - Dr. Thomas Caulfield, Executive Chairman of GlobalFoundries, emphasized that Mr. Moorthy's expertise in semiconductor technology and corporate growth will be a significant asset as the company executes its strategy and expands its leadership [3] - Mr. Moorthy expressed enthusiasm about advancing GlobalFoundries' strategy and deepening customer partnerships to deliver essential technologies [3] Group 3: Commitment to Growth - Mr. Moorthy's appointment reinforces GlobalFoundries' commitment to its long-term growth strategy, focusing on resilient manufacturing and delivering power-efficient, differentiated technologies to customers globally [4]

Group 1 - GlobalFoundries announced a final agreement to acquire Synopsys' ARC processor IP solutions business, including its engineering and design teams [2] - The acquisition aims to strengthen GlobalFoundries and its subsidiary MIPS's physical AI layout [2]