Electronics Supply Chain Weekly Digest 6-7-24.
DATAPOINT OF THE WEEK: US May mfg PMI data is mixed with S&P data indicating an expansion at 51.3 vs 50.0 in April and ISM PMI data pointing to a downtick and continued contraction with PMI of 48.7 vs 49.2 in April. ISM notes new orders and output both worsened M/M while the Employment index improved.
S&P reported Eurozone May mfg PMI of 47.3 vs 45.7 in April reflecting expansion in peripheral eurozone countries coupled with contraction slowdown in core France and Germany. Overall output in the Eurozone nearly stabilized in May but new orders and purchasing activity continued to decline. Positively, expectations for the next 12 months showed a strong level of optimism in Europe, according to S&P.
China government’s official mfg PMI unexpectedly dipped to 49.5 in May from 50.4 in April driven by a renewed contraction in new domestic and export orders. Private-based Caixin China PMI showed May mfg activity expanded to 51.7 vs 51.4 in April reflecting the strongest expansion in more than 23 months on increased production and new orders.
Headlines:
Auto
- Audi cuts shifts amid severe flooding in southern Germany
- China auto retail sales trend improves in May M/M but sales remained down Y/Y. NEV retail sales trend stable at +34%
- BYD May shipments increased 6% M/M and 38% Y/Y driven by PHEVs
- Ford says drivers will be able to take their eyes off the road in two years
- Ford US auto sales rise 11% in May
- Japanese automakers found in safety scandal in Japan; Toyota halts some shipments
- Stellantis expects to grow plug-in hybrid SUV sales by as much as 50%
- Stellantis may drop some suppliers to cut EV costs, Tavares says
- Tesla to stop production at German plant for five days in June
- Tesla’s China-made EV sales extend decline in May amid output cut
- May new auto sales in the US stronger than expected at 15.9M SAAR
Industrial
- Deere announces job cuts to tackle slowing farm equipment demand
- German industrial orders unexpectedly fall in April
Datacenter
- Google to lay off 100 employees at its cloud unit per Reuters
- Microsoft laying off 1,500 jobs in cloud division per Reuters
- HPE lifts its FY24 forecast on strong AI server demand and improved Nvidia supply
Semiconductors
- AMD launches new AI chip and reveals its AI roadmap through 2026
- ADI and LG Energy signs MoU to co-develop advanced charging technologies
- Chinese AI chip firms downgrading designs to secure TSMC production
- Lattice Semiconductor CEO leaves to run Coherent
- Indie Semiconductor exploring a sale
- Nvidia announced its latest AI GPU platform Rubin
- Nvidia CEO says working to certify Samsung’s AI memory chips
- Samsung strike to have no impact memory production, says TrendForce
- ZF taps NXP for SiC gate drivers
- STM and Geely set up SiC lab, long term supply deal
- SMIC pivoting to domestic semi equipment suppliers enabling chip processes up to 28nm according to WSJ
- Apollo to pay $11 bln for 49% of Intel Ireland factory joint venture
- Infineon launches 650v SiC MOSFETs in TOLT and Thin-TOLL packages for Industrial and AI power supplies
- NXP, Vanguard to Build $7.8 Billion 300mm wafer fab in Singapore for Auto, Industrial and Consumer applications
- Vishay acquires resistor and sensor company Ametherm for $31.5M
- WSTS raises global semiconductor market forecast for 2024 to +16% from +13% prior on stronger computing demand
- Record volume of IC wafer capacity coming online in 2025 says Knometa Research
- Samtech guides to 3% increase in revenue Q/Q; days later CEO abruptly departs on Board disagreement
Other
- Maersk raises profit outlook again on deeper impact to World Trade from Red Sea disruption
- Ciena cuts its full-year outlook on continued macro uncertainty