US and Asian chip stocks fall after report of Chinese semiconductor breakthrough

Shares of major semiconductor companies dropped sharply on Monday after a report suggested that a Chinese firm has made significant progress in developing advanced chipmaking equipment. The news raised concerns among investors that China could reduce its reliance on foreign technology and strengthen its position in the global semiconductor industry.

The market reaction followed a report by The Information, which said Shanghai Yuliangsheng is producing immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machines. These machines use ultraviolet light to carve extremely small circuits onto silicon wafers, a key step in manufacturing modern computer chips.

Neither Shanghai Yuliangsheng nor related companies SiCarrier and Huawei responded immediately to requests for comment. However, the report was enough to unsettle investors, who fear that China’s progress in chip manufacturing could reshape competition in the technology sector.

If the reported breakthrough proves successful, China could reduce its dependence on Dutch company ASML, the world’s leading supplier of advanced lithography equipment. ASML’s exports are subject to strict restrictions, limiting China’s access to some of the most advanced chipmaking technology.

Developing its own DUV lithography machines would allow China to expand domestic chip production and accelerate the development of more powerful processors. Industry analysts believe this could help Chinese technology companies narrow the gap with leading American semiconductor manufacturers.

The development is also seen as important for China’s artificial intelligence industry. Improved access to advanced chips would strengthen the country’s AI capabilities and help Chinese companies compete more closely with leading US firms developing cutting edge AI models.

The report triggered heavy selling across the US technology sector. Shares of AMD fell by as much as eight percent during trading, while Nvidia dropped nearly five percent. Micron Technology also lost around five percent, and Intel declined about 3.7 percent as investors reassessed the competitive outlook for the semiconductor industry.

The decline spread quickly to Asian markets on Tuesday. South Korea’s stock market suffered steep losses as concerns over the future of the AI industry combined with the reported Chinese breakthrough. The Kospi index plunged more than 10 percent to its lowest level since April.

Major South Korean chipmakers were among the hardest hit. Shares of SK hynix and Samsung Electronics each fell by around 12 percent as investors worried that stronger competition from China could affect future earnings and market share.

Japan’s technology sector also came under pressure. The Nikkei 225 index dropped more than four percent, while leading technology companies including Advantest, Kioxia and Tokyo Electron each lost more than 10 percent during trading.

The sharp decline across global markets highlights how closely investors are watching developments in the semiconductor industry. As countries compete to secure leadership in chip production and artificial intelligence, even reports of technological advances can have an immediate impact on stock markets and reshape expectations for the future of the global technology sector.