$TSM

TSMC (2330 TT) and Synopsys (SNPS) partnered to advance AI systems using agentic AI and design tech. TCC Group (1101 TT) approved a EUR 750mln acquisition of Ukrainian cement firms. Keppel REIT (KREIT SP) sold T Tower for SGD 320.9mln. StarHub (STH SP) in talks with Keppel (BN4 SP) for M1 deal.

Synopsys and TSMC expanded their collaboration to accelerate AI and semiconductor development. They announced certified design flows for TSMC's A14 process, agentic AI workflows, and multi-die packaging support. Synopsys highlighted IP milestones on TSMC's N2P and N3P processes, including PCIe 7.0 and HBM4 for AI and HPC designs. The partnership aims to address growing design complexity and advance packaging technologies.

Taiwan started construction on a new advanced packaging industrial park in Kaohsiung. TSMC plans to build facilities there for technology validation and talent training, according to Reuters. The park will support TSMC's advanced packaging, crucial for AI and high-performance computing chips designed by Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom.

Taiwan's Taiex index rose 0.75% to a record high, driven by tech stocks including TSMC, MediaTek, and Nanya. Turnover fell ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival. TSMC gained 1.63%, contributing significantly to the index's rise. AI demand and U.S. market performance influenced local gains, while non-tech sectors saw mixed results. Foreign investors net bought NT$37.31 billion of shares.

TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry, is crucial for the AI boom, with high-performance computing (HPC) generating 66% of its Q2 2026 revenue. The company reported $40.2B in Q2 revenue, up 33.7% YoY, and plans $60B-$64B in 2026 capex. TSMC's advanced nodes and CoWoS packaging are vital for AI data centers, with 2nm production ramping up. The company is expanding in the U.S. and Taiwan to meet growing demand.

Asian chip stocks rose on Tuesday, following a U.S. tech rally driven by AI spending confidence. The Nasdaq Composite hit a record close, up 2.3%, with AMD gaining nearly 10%. South Korean chipmakers like SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics led regional gains, while LG Electronics jumped 6% after Nvidia's approval of its cooling unit. Chinese semiconductor shares also strengthened, with Semiconductor Manufacturing up 2.5%.

Exports of HBM-related items from Korea to Malaysia surged 466.6% year-over-year in August, driven by AI chip demand. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are key suppliers. Malaysia is expanding its advanced packaging ecosystem, with investments from ASE and AMD-TF Microelectronics. The Malaysian government aims to capture 7% of the global advanced packaging market by 2035.

Benzinga reports unusual options activity in IT stocks. NVIDIA (NVDA) saw a bearish call sweep at $230 strike, Intel (INTC) a bullish call at $125, and Algorithmic (ALGM) a bullish call at $35. Other notable trades include bearish sweeps on Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) and Micron (MU), and bullish sweeps on Nokia (NOK) and Dell (DELL).

The U.S. proposed an AI incident alert channel with China ahead of a Trump-Xi meeting. Asian chip stocks rallied, with Samsung +5%, SK Hynix +1%, and TSMC +0.6%, driven by AI boom and improved trade sentiment. The alert channel aims to reduce misinterpretation of AI incidents but does not address semiconductor export controls. TSMC's stock reflects confidence in AI demand but remains exposed to geopolitical risks.

Taiwan's Taiex index rose 1.14% to 47,718.84, led by tech stocks. TSMC gained 0.81%, MediaTek 6.37%, and Delta Electronics 8.07%. Nanya Tech fell 1.71%. Foreign investors bought NT$20.38 billion in shares. Analysts cited U.S. tech rally and AI investments as drivers.