01. Global Chip Sales Jump Over 60% in February
On April 13, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported that global semiconductor sales reached $88.8 billion in February, up 7.6% month-over-month and 61.8% year-over-year, signaling robust demand across key end markets as the industry continues its recovery from last year's downturn.
By region, Asia-Pacific and other markets led with a 93.5% year-over-year surge, followed by the Americas at 59.2% (and 12.6% monthly growth), China at 57.4%, and Europe at 42.3%. Japan was the sole exception, posting a 0.3% annual decline.
SIA CEO John Neuffer noted that demand remains strong across all regions, with multiple markets driving growth. The industry is expected to sustain its expansion through 2026, with annual sales approaching $1 trillion.
02. NAND Prices Surge as LTAs Become Industry Standard
On April 17, Morgan Stanley projected that MLC NAND prices will rise more than 200% this year, with supply-demand gaps potentially reaching 40% in the second half. Second-quarter contract prices are expected to climb 70%–75%. Global production capacity for 2GB to 64GB products has nearly evaporated, leaving end-user inventory at just six to nine months.
AI inference demand is driving memory consumption, while major manufacturers are prioritizing high-margin DRAM production, further constraining NAND supply. The global NAND market is forecast to hit $147.3 billion in sales this year, up 112% year-over-year.
Kioxia, SK Hynix, Micron, and SanDisk have all signed three- to five-year Long-Term Agreements (LTAs). Industry observers expect LTAs to become the dominant contract model in the memory sector, though this may intensify market polarization.
03. Semtech Announces IC Price Hikes with 30-Day Grace Period
On April 14, SemiMedia reported that Semtech notified customers of price increases on select IC products within its Signal Integrity Products (SIP) and Advanced Mixed-Signal and Wireless (AMW) divisions, effective May 4, 2026.
The company is providing a 30-day buffer period, allowing customers to place orders at current prices through May 3. Existing backlogs will not be repriced, and new orders requiring delivery before January 29, 2027, may also qualify for the old pricing. All orders placed on or after May 4 will be subject to the updated price structure, with published quotations and related terms expiring on May 3.
04. Yageo Benefits from Server and Data Center Demand with Strong Second-Half Order Book
On April 16, the Economic Daily reported that passive component giant Yageo issued a positive outlook, citing sustained strength in AI-driven demand. The company expects second-quarter operations to outperform the first, with order visibility extending into the second half.
AI-related business accounted for 13%–15% of revenue in the first quarter and is projected to climb above 15% for the full year. Polymer tantalum capacitors—a critical component for AI applications—are seeing the strongest order momentum. The MLCC market has returned to healthy supply-demand dynamics, with inventory levels declining. The company adjusted prices for select product lines starting in the fourth quarter of last year in response to rising raw material, energy, and logistics costs, with the benefits expected to materialize going forward.
05. AI Crowding-Out Effect Emerges: Extended Lead Times for General-Purpose Server Components Dampen Growth
On April 15, the Economic Daily cited TrendForce research indicating that suppliers' prioritization of AI server production has stretched lead times for general-purpose server components, prompting a downward revision of 2026 overall shipment growth from nearly 20% to approximately 13%.
Lead times for PCBs and CPUs are now approaching one year. PMIC lead times have extended to 35–40 weeks due to AI server demand crowding out 8-inch BCD capacity and Samsung's closure of its S7 fab in Korea. BMC lead times have also lengthened to 21–26 weeks. For AI servers, TrendForce estimates 2026 shipments will grow approximately 28% year-over-year, with ASIC share nudging up slightly to 27%. General-purpose server growth will continue to lag, with some orders expected to be deferred to 2027.
06. TSMC Expands 3nm Fabs Across Taiwan, U.S., and Japan on Strong AI Orders
On April 17, the United Daily News reported that TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei described orders as "extremely strong," projecting annual revenue growth of over 30%. The company will simultaneously expand 3nm fabrication facilities in Taiwan, the United States, and Japan, breaking historical records for production capacity.
First-quarter gross margin reached 66.2% and operating margin hit 58.1%, both record highs. Net profit for the quarter totaled NT$572.48 billion, averaging approximately NT$6.36 billion per day. New Taiwan capacity will begin mass production in the first half of next year, followed by the U.S. in the second half, and Japan the year after.