China Manufacturing PMI Rebounds in December, Offering Boost to Economic Growth Outlook 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech and Financial Stocks Weigh on Markets Amid Thin Holiday Trading 
South Korea Factory Output Misses Forecasts in November Amid Ongoing Economic Uncertainty 
Singapore GDP Growth Surges in 2025 but Outlook Remains Cautious Amid Global Trade Risks 
U.S. Stocks Slip as Gold Rebounds Ahead of Year-End, Markets Eye 2026 Outlook 
South Korea Exports Hit Record High as Global Trade Momentum Builds 
U.S. Dollar Slides Toward Biggest Annual Loss Since 2017 as 2026 Risks Loom 
Trump Delays Tariff Increases on Furniture and Cabinets for One More Year 
Asian Stock Markets Start New Year Higher as Tech and AI Shares Drive Gains 
USDA $12 Billion Farm Aid Program Draws Mixed Reactions from Row Crop Farmers 
Japanese Business Leaders Urge Government Action as Weak Yen Strains Economy 
Federal Reserve Begins Treasury Bill Purchases to Stabilize Reserves and Money Markets 
Oil Prices Slip Slightly as Markets Weigh Geopolitical Risks and Supply Glut Concerns 
U.S. Dollar Starts 2026 Weak as Yen, Euro and Sterling Hold Firm Amid Rate Cut Expectations 
South Korea Inflation Rises to 2.3% in December, Matching Market Expectations 
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry 
Samsung Electronics Delays ASML Equipment Deliveries
Samsung Electronics has delayed the delivery of chipmaking equipment from ASML for its upcoming $17 billion factory in Taylor, Texas. According to sources, the company has yet to secure major customers for this ambitious project, leading to a temporary halt in orders from various suppliers.
This delay represents a significant setback for Samsung's strategy to diversify from its core memory chip business into the lucrative contract chip manufacturing market, dominated by Taiwan's TSMC. As TSMC and SK Hynix ramp up production to meet the rising demand for advanced chips driven by artificial intelligence (AI), Samsung finds itself at a critical juncture.
ASML, the leading supplier of chipmaking equipment, has also revised its 2025 sales forecast downward due to decreased demand in markets outside of AI. The delayed shipments to Samsung's factory involve ASML's cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are essential for producing high-performance chips used in smartphones and AI servers.
While Samsung has not disclosed how many EUV machines it has ordered, the advanced equipment typically costs around $200 million each. Both ASML and Samsung declined to comment on the situation.
