Electronics Supply Chain Weekly Digest 10-24-25.
DATAPOINT OF THE WEEK: China is requiring some US semiconductor firms to submit detailed sales information as part of an anti-dumping probe targeting American-made analog IC chips, like those from TI and Analog Devices, according to Bloomberg.
The questionnaires request sales data in China, costs and profits in both China and the US, customer names, transaction details, logistics, and raw material suppliers, with responses due in 37 days. This move signals Beijing’s ability to retaliate against US export restrictions, though specific companies affected have not been named.
Headlines:
Auto/Transportation
- EU automakers form alliances with EV makers to avoid $17.5B carbon fines
- Ford announces it has cut its profit guidance after Novelis fire, expects $1.5–$2B hit and 100k unit loss, plans 2026 production boost
- France urges EU to keep CO2 rules flexible to protect 350k auto jobs and local manufacturing
- GM to relaunch autonomous vehicles with hands- and eyes-free Cadillac Escalade IQ, targeting 2028 launch
- GM raises 2025 profit outlook to $12–13B on lower tariffs and reduced EV losses, adjusts EV strategy amid weak adoption
- GM and Stellantis face Canadian tariff-free import quota cuts after scaling back local production, triggering job protection measures
- Renault posts 6.8% Y/Y 3Q revenue growth on new model demand, pursues cost control and global partnerships
- Rivian to cut 4.5% of workforce (over 600 employees) amid weaker EV demand, refocuses on service, sales, and marketing, says Reuters
- Former Stellantis CEO warns automaker could face breakup if European, US, and global operations fall out of alignmenet
- Tesla posts record 3Q revenue of $28.1B but profit falls 37% on tariffs, R&D, and regulatory credit decline
- Uber rebrands Uber Green as Uber Electric, launches $4k driver EV grant to accelerate zero-emission rides
- Valeo secures alternative chips for 95% of Nexperia-supplied components, easing production risk amid China export ban and broader supply chain concerns
- Volvo Cars reported strong 3Q profit as aggressive cost cuts, including 3k job cuts and slowed investments, boosted operating profit to $627M, well above the $170M expectations
Datacenter
- Meta secures $27B deal with Blue Owl to fund Hyperion datacenter in Louisiana, unlocking 2GW AI compute capacity
- Meta to cut 600 jobs in AI labs to streamline decision making
- Super Micro lowers F1Q26 revenue forecast to $5B on AI deal timing, maintains $33B full-year target with $12B in F2Q26 orders
Industrial
- Archer partners with Korean Air to deploy up to 100 semiconductor rich eVTOLs in South Korea
- China’s top turbine makers push for 120 GW annual wind installations to double capacity by 2035, says Bloomberg
- Honeywell 3Q revenue beats at $10.41B, raises 2025 profit forecast as aerospace demand drives growth
- Automakers, including GM, Toyota, VW, and Hyundai, urge against a US machinery tariffs, warning of higher costs and production delays
IP&E
- Astera Labs to acquire aiXscale Photonics to enhance AI infrastructure connectivity and signal processing
Semiconductors
- US lifts trade restrictions on Arrow Electronics’ China affiliates, allowing shipments to resume under prior conditions
- ASE to acquire ADI’s Penang facility, expanding IC packaging and testing network with co-investment in upskilling
- Compal to produce AI servers for Dell from 2026, with potential $3.2B annual revenue using Nvidia HGX and RTX architectures, says DigiTimes
- Intel 3Q revenue beats at $13.65B on strong PC, datacenter, and AI demand; 4Q margins guided lower amid new CPU ramps
- Lam Research F1Q revenue beats at $5.32B on strong GPU equipment orders, F2Q guidance $5.2B above expectations
- Samsung and SK Hynix raise DRAM and NAND prices up to 30% on AI-driven memory supercycle
- Nexperia crisis worsens as Dongguan production slowing following export controls, MOSFET, diode prices up 20%, and Auto production at risk, according to Bloomberg and Reuters
- NextSilicon raises $300M to develop Maverick-2 chip and RISC-V CPU targeting Intel and AMD in scientific computing
- Automakers increase orders from Panjit as Nexperia export restrictions disrupt power semiconductor supply
- Samsung foundry to supply Hyundai with millions of 8nm automotive chips, 5nm autonomous chip delayed to 2026, says DigiTimes
- Tesla to split AI5 chip production between Samsung Texas and TSMC Arizona, building on Samsung AI6 contract, according to DigiTimes
- Silan partners with Xiamen government to build $2.8B 12-inch analog IC fab, boosting China’s high-end chip capacity by 2030, says DigiTimes
- TI 3Q revenue slightly beats at $4.72B, earnings miss on restructuring; 4Q revenue guided down 7% amid slower industrial recovery
- TSMC to break ground on $49B 1.4nm Taichung expansion on Nov 5, mass production by 2H28, creating up to 10k jobs, according got Economic Daily News
Consumer/Other
- Apple’s iPhone 17 series sees 14% higher first-10-day sales than iPhone 16, base model nearly doubles China sales, says Counterpoint Research
- Apple cuts iPhone Air production as sales lag, boosts output for other iPhone 17 models while maintaining 85–90M unit target, according to Nikkei
- China’s rare earth magnet exports fall 6.1% M/M in September, raising trade dispute concerns ahead of US-China tariff truce expiration, says Reuters
- South Korean officials travel to Washington for urgent talks on $350B investment tariff deal ahead of APEC summit
- India and US near trade deal, resolving most issues while final approval awaits political leaders amid ongoing tariffs, according to Bloomberg
- Trump administration weighing broad export controls on US software and products to counter China’s rare earth restrictions