semiconductor market

Taiwan Semiconductor and Sony Semiconductor Solutions are joining forces in Japan to develop and manufacture cutting-edge image sensors. This new venture, majority-owned by Sony, will leverage Sony's design prowess and TSMC's manufacturing expertise. The partnership aims to explore applications in areas like automotive and robotics, signaling a significant step in advanced chip development.

Google-parent Alphabet is close to becoming the world's most valuable company. A strong stock rally, booming cloud business, and AI advancements are driving this surge. Alphabet's significant AI investments are now paying off. Its Google Cloud segment shows rapid growth. Alphabet is also competing with Nvidia in selling custom AI chips.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly considering exiting China's TV and home appliance market, with a potential shift in focus towards the US. This strategic reassessment is driven by intense competition from domestic brands in China and stronger growth prospects in the American market. The company may redirect resources to smartphone and semiconductor sales while continuing manufacturing for export.

Foreign investors are exiting Indian stocks, with outflows reaching Rs 60,847 crore in April, following a massive Rs 1,17,775 crore sell-off in March. This trend signals sustained weakness in overseas investor sentiment, as global capital shifts towards Asian economies benefiting from the AI investment boom, particularly South Korea and Taiwan.

China's exports surged 14.1% in April, significantly exceeding expectations and bolstering the nation's economy despite global uncertainties. This strong performance precedes a crucial meeting between US and Chinese leaders, where trade tensions and other disputes are expected to be discussed. Analysts anticipate continued export-driven growth for China this year.

South Korea's stock market has hit an unprecedented high, surpassing 6,000 trillion won in total valuation. The Kospi index reached a new intraday record, boosted by strong performances from tech giants like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Nvidia's stock hit a record high, surpassing $5 trillion in market value, driven by immense investor confidence in artificial intelligence chips. This surge follows strong performance from other chipmakers and a broader tech sector rebound, despite earlier concerns. With AI demand showing no signs of slowing, Nvidia remains a key player in the global race.

India's passenger vehicle market kicked off the new fiscal year with a robust 27% sales surge in April, reaching approximately 4.5 lakh units. Strong performances from Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra, fueled by demand for utility vehicles and SUVs, propelled this growth. Despite rising input costs, the industry is experiencing a significant upswing.

US chip stocks hit all-time highs, led by Intel's 24% surge, its best day since 1987, fueled by AI demand. The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index also reached a record, marking an 18-day winning streak. Intel's turnaround, attributed to CEO Lip-Bu Tan, saw revenue rise 7.2%, with data center growth up 22%.

Stock market recommendations: For the trading week starting April 27, 2026, Tata Steel, and Cyient DLM are the top stock picks from Motilal Oswal Wealth Management Research Desk.

Delhi is crafting a semiconductor policy to become a hub for chip design and research, aligning with India's tech self-reliance goals. The policy aims to foster innovation, ease of business, and a strong industry ecosystem. It will focus on design, R&D, talent development, and startups, offering incentives to attract investment and generate high-skilled jobs.

Apple posted its best March quarter ever in Q2 FY2026—$111.2 billion in revenue, up 17% year over year, with iPhone sales jumping 22% to $57 billion and Services hitting an all-time high of $31 billion. Every product category and every geographic region grew. The catch: memory costs are rising fast, Mac supply can't keep up with demand, and Tim Cook is handing the CEO role to John Ternus on September 1.

JPMorgan has shifted its stance on Indian equities to neutral, citing high valuations and geopolitical uncertainties. The brokerage warns of a potential 15% Nifty 50 decline in a worst-case scenario, impacting earnings due to energy supply risks. While the long-term outlook remains robust, near-term caution is advised, with other emerging markets potentially offering better opportunities.

Washington isn’t interested in being a guarantor of anything, including energy supplies. New Delhi’s strategic response must centre around the one energy source it has in abundance

Tesla will utilize Intel's upcoming 14A chip manufacturing process for its ambitious Terafab AI chip complex in Austin, as confirmed by CEO Elon Musk. This partnership marks a significant external customer win for Intel's contract manufacturing business. Musk highlighted the need for the Terafab to meet anticipated demand for AI and autonomous driving technologies.

Amidst global supply chain disruptions, India's economic leaders are prioritizing domestic strength. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the vast Indian consumer base as a key defense, while industry titans emphasised strategic self-reliance in manufacturing and a pivot to green energy. This approach aims to leverage India's demographic dividend and workforce to navigate international volatility and accelerate national growth.

China's DeepSeek has launched its open-source V4 AI model, aiming to rival top US competitors like OpenAI and Google. The V4-Pro, with 1.6T parameters, and V4-Flash, with 284B parameters, both support a 1 million token context window. This development signifies a significant step in the global AI race, emphasizing scale, performance, and cost efficiency.

Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO after fifteen years, transitioning to Executive Chairman. Under his leadership, Apple's market cap surged to $4 trillion, and net income grew by 699% through a focus on Services and ecosystem expansion. He also launched successful products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, and championed environmental initiatives.

Stock market recommendations: Bharat Electronics, and MTAR Technologies are the top stock recommendations by Motilal Oswal Wealth Management Research Desk for this trading week starting April 20, 2026. The brokerage shares the target prices and rationale.

Prime Minister Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held high-level talks in Delhi, aiming to transform their trusted partnership into a futuristic one. The leaders witnessed the exchange of MoUs, covering cooperation in sectors from chips to ships, talent to technology, and energy.