Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Ohio Emerges as a New Hub for Korean Chips

When Intel began construction of its massive campus in New Albany, Ohio, in 2022, the project looked like the return of an iconic American manufacturer to its home soil after decades of expanding production overseas. Four hundred hectares of land, enough space for eight semiconductor fabrication plants, and promises of hundreds of billions of dollars in investment were all supposed to symbolize the revival of the American semiconductor industry. However, as often happens, reality introduced some harsh adjustments.

Today, four years later, this ambitious project is hanging by a thread, and its future may end up in the hands of a competitor: South Korea’s SK hynix. Negotiations over a possible acquisition of the Ohio campus are reportedly taking place behind closed doors. Although the potential purchase price remains closely guarded, the very possibility of such a transaction has shaken the markets and prompted analysts to reconsider the balance of power within the global semiconductor industry.

For SK hynix, this would not simply be another deal aimed at increasing production capacity. It would be a strategic move capable of completely transforming the company’s position in the US market while also satisfying growing political pressure from Washington. For several years, the US administration has urged semiconductor manufacturers to move production facilities to American soil and reduce their dependence on Asian manufacturing. SK hynix appears ready to answer that call—not by building an entirely new factory from scratch, but by purchasing infrastructure that is already close to completion.

Interestingly, the Korean company already has experience working with former Intel assets. In 2020, SK hynix agreed to acquire Intel’s NAND flash memory business for $9 billion, making it the largest transaction in the company’s history. Now, another piece of Intel’s former empire may be up...

Tuesday: The Chinese Giant Surprises the Market

Chinese technology giant Xiaomi has made an unexpected move that has attracted the attention of the entire smartphone market. The company has raised its annual smartphone sales target from 90 million to 110 million units. This comes despite increasing pressure from high memory and other component prices, which have placed significant strain on manufacturers in recent months.

XIACY ... Xiaomi’s decision, reported by Chinese media outlet Jiemian News citing industry sources, appears bold. Earlier this year, the company lowered its target due to the negative impact of high memory prices. Management now believes that the worst is over and that the market is ready for a reversal.

According to the report, the higher sales target is based on Xiaomi’s internal assessment that the current rise in memory market prices is approaching its peak and could soon be followed by a decline. If this forecast proves accurate, Xiaomi will gain a double advantage: higher sales volumes and lower production costs.

Memory Prices: Drivers and Risks

The memory chip market is going through a highly volatile period. Demand for memory used in artificial intelligence applications has soared, absorbing a significant share of global production. Companies manufacturing memory chips for AI servers are generating exceptional profits, while smartphone manufacturers are being forced to compete with them for limited resources.

For Xiaomi and other smartphone manufacturers, this means higher component costs. Memory chips are among the most expensive and important components of a smartphone, and when their prices rise, manufacturers’ profit margins decline. Earlier this year, Xiaomi even lowered its shipment target for this very reason.

However, the company now believes that the situation is changing. According to Xiaomi’s estimates, the memory chip market is ready for a reversal. This may be related to several factors. First, memory...

Tuesday: Markets Recoup Their Losses

Tuesday 21.07.2026 became a day of recovery for Asian stock markets. After several days of volatility and selling pressure driven by geopolitical risks, investors returned to buying. The main catalysts behind the rebound were lower oil prices and hopes for a diplomatic resolution in the Middle East.

Wall Street ended Monday with moderate losses, but U.S. stock futures pointed to a stronger opening on Tuesday. The technology-heavy NASDAQ, which is particularly sensitive to shifts in investor sentiment, led the advance.

Japan was one of the main beneficiaries of the positive momentum across Asian markets. The ^N225 ... rose by more than 2% after the market was closed on Monday for a public holiday. Investors actively purchased technology stocks, while overall market sentiment remained positive.

However, South Korea’s KOSPI delivered perhaps the most impressive performance. The index rebounded by almost 4% after falling approximately 5% during the previous session. This is a classic example of a “dead cat bounce,” as investors return to oversold stocks, particularly in the technology sector.

Technology Sector Leads the Recovery

Technology companies were the primary drivers of growth across Asian markets. BC94.L ... Electronics shares surged by 6%, while SK Hynix gained 4.5%. This represented a powerful recovery following several days of declines, during which concerns about inflated valuations and geopolitical risks weighed heavily on the sector.

For investors, the rebound may indicate that the fundamental positions of these companies remain strong. Samsung recently forecast a nineteenfold increase in operating profit for the second quarter, and the markets appear ready to believe these projections. Like Samsung, SK Hynix is a major supplier of memory chips used in artificial intelligence applications, and demand for these products remains high.

However, the recovery of Asia’s technology sector is taking place against a backdrop of continued uncertainty....

739 Jobs at Risk: What Is Happening?

South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics has begun a major reorganization of its U.S. operations, affecting hundreds of employees. The company is cutting staff across its display, mobile phone, and consumer electronics divisions while relocating its headquarters to Texas. A total of 739 positions in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, are at risk. Until recently, the site served as the North American headquarters of Samsung Electronics America.

For many employees, the news came as a shock—not only because people are losing their jobs, but also because Samsung is relocating to Texas rather than simply closing the office. The company says that most affected employees were offered the opportunity to relocate. Those who were unwilling or unable to move were dismissed. Samsung has not disclosed the official number of layoffs, but sources say that hundreds of employees may be affected.

The timing of the move is particularly noteworthy because Samsung opened new offices in New Jersey only a few months earlier. U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer even attended the opening ceremony in September last year. At the time, the division employed approximately 1,200 people. Now, a significant share of them will either relocate to Texas or search for new jobs.

Documents and Notifications: The Legal Side of the Issue

According to documents reviewed by Reuters, the division notified some employees on June 30 about a “company-wide workforce reduction” that would result in a “significant number of changes.” This is a standard procedure for large corporations, but for Samsung employees in New Jersey, it marked the beginning of a troubling period of uncertainty.

LinkedIn posts show that more than 30 employees, including senior sales and marketing managers in Texas and New Jersey, have reported being laid off or leaving the company in recent weeks. These are not...