“Reducing Dependence on China”: Japan Speeds Up Deep-Sea Rare Earth Mining South Korea Also Finds Deposits in Nearby Waters; Exploration Pace to Determine Control Takaichi Formally Outlines Cooperation Plan With U.S. Japan is accelerat

Technological setbacks hit CXMT as HBM3 mass production falters China expected to expand influence in legacy nodes above 28nm SK hynix and Samsung pivot away from legacy toward next-generation technologies China’s memory semi

"Cost Reduction Achievable" ASRock Unveils Redesigned DDR5 Standard 'HUDIMM' Pronounced Performance Degradation Positions It as a Compromise in an Overheated Memory Market AI Boom Reorients Market Toward Server-Centric Products Such as HBM and SOCAMM 2

Meta to lay off 8,000 employees as it accelerates an AI-driven business overhaul A relay of job cuts sweeps across big tech as companies pursue management efficiency aligned with the AI era “AI-led restructuring is bullish for markets” as shares of companies cutting headcount surge

Indications Emerge of Counterfeit Samsung 990 Pro Distribution, With “Subpar Performance” Fake Samsung and SK hynix Memory Products Remain a Chronic Industry Headache Surging Memory Demand Fueled by the AI Boom Also Ignites Counterfeit Sales

SoftBank Group accelerates AI-related investment by issuing junk bonds Firmly dismisses market concerns, saying “Missing investment opportunities would be the greater loss” As OpenAI moves toward a market debut, will SoftBank’s “bet” pay off?

‘Little Buffett’ Bill Ackman Signals Intent to Acquire Universal Music Group Rapid shifts driven by generative AI, with monetization of AI-generated music now underway Universal Music Group partners with AI music platforms, integrating them into existing rights frameworks

Anthropic prices its AI agent OpenClaw on a usage-based model OpenAI launches a $100 “middle-tier” plan as it moves to improve profitability Low-cost plans are also being actively deployed as tools to attract users and lock them into broader ecosystems

U.S.

"Beyond the 1970s Oil Shock," Energy Markets Thrown Into Turmoil by Iran War Europe Braces for Worst-Case Scenarios as South Asia Already in Disarray Disruptions Spread Across Global Supply Chains Including Food and Petrochemicals The Iran

Trump leverages anchoring effect, secures negotiating leverage through extreme opening demands Similar tactics deployed in Panama Canal dispute and tariff wars Iran remains unmoved by Trump-style “threat diplomacy,” testing sustainability of pressure strategy

Spot D-RAM prices, which had been soaring, lose upward momentum Chinese distributors that rushed into memory hoarding take a direct hit: “We’re ruined” Google’s TurboQuant fuels concern over a decline in memory demand Spot D-RAM prices, which h

“Global Economic Extortion by Iran” UAE Signals Strong Backlash Iranian Attacks Inflict Severe Damage Across Gulf States, Critical Infrastructure Hit Houthi Entry Complicates War Dynamics, Heightening Escalation Risks Anti-Iran sentiment is rapi

Iran Moves to Impose Transit Fees in Strait of Hormuz, Escalating Economic Pressure on Adversaries Trump Shifts Burden to Europe, Raises Prospect of Unilateral War Termination U.S.

IPO Acceleration and Valuation Target of $1.75 Trillion Expansion of Satellite Communications and Space Data Center Infrastructure China’s Aggressive Catch-Up Amid SpaceX’s Low-Cost Launch Dominance Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX is moving fo

Expectations Build for a Revaluation of SK Hynix as ADR Listing Moves Forward Global Fundraising Begins Amid Capital Expenditure Pressures and a Groupwide Financial Strain Treasury Share Cancellation Followed by New Share Issuance Leaves Market Overhang Concerns Intact

U.S. Secures Negotiation Leverage by Delaying Strike on Iran’s Energy Facilities Soaring Oil Prices Amid Prolonged Conflict Trigger Global Economic Strain Gulf States’ Civilian and Energy Infrastructure Hit, Escalation Risks Mount U.S.

Samsung Electronics, the “front-runner in HBM4,” makes an AI semiconductor push with a $73.1 billion investment Secures Nvidia, AMD, and OpenAI as customers, sharply expanding its market clout SK Hynix, the incumbent HBM powerhouse, faces mounting pressure to overhaul its technology strategy

Middle East conflict deepens turmoil across the shipping industry, with cargo indiscriminately unloaded Seaborne freight rates soar, overturning prewar forecasts, as political variables reshape the industry landscape "Even with higher freight rates, there is little left over" as cost pressures mount for shipping lines

Chinese battery manufacturers surpass a 70% market share, tightening their grip on global market leadership Korea’s three battery makers, hit by slumping market share and earnings, seek an opening through ESS “Unable to fill the EV void any time soon” — ESS, too, faces unmistakable growth constraints