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Malaysia to Tighten Semiconductor Regulations Amid U.S. Pressure

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Malaysia plans to impose stricter regulations on the movement of semiconductors, particularly those from Nvidia, as part of efforts to curb the flow of advanced chips to China under U.S. pressure. The United States has expressed concerns over the potential diversion of these critical chips to China, where they could be used in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz revealed that the U.S. government has asked Malaysia to monitor shipments of high-end Nvidia chips and ensure that they are not diverted to unauthorized destinations, particularly China. The U.S. is concerned that servers containing these chips may end up in Chinese data centers instead of the intended locations, and is pushing Malaysia to track every shipment of Nvidia products entering the country.

Malaysia’s investigation into the situation also ties into a broader inquiry regarding a fraudulent transaction case in Singapore, involving the illicit shipment of U.S. servers to Malaysia. These servers may have contained advanced chips covered by U.S. export controls. The case, which involves Singapore-based firms accused of supplying these servers fraudulently, is valued at $390 million. There are concerns that the shipments may have been intended for Chinese AI company DeepSeek, which gained attention for its AI model performance earlier this year.

The U.S. government is also probing whether DeepSeek has been using banned U.S. chips, as part of a wider investigation into the potential violations of export controls on semiconductor technologies.

Nvidia to Invest Billions in U.S. Chip Production Over Four Years

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Nvidia (NVDA.O) plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S.-made chips and electronics over the next four years, CEO Jensen Huang told the Financial Times. The company expects to spend around $500 billion on electronics during this period, with a substantial portion allocated to domestic manufacturing.

Huang emphasized that the U.S. AI industry could expand more rapidly with support from government policies. His comments come as Nvidia seeks to address investor concerns about demand for its high-cost AI chips, especially following the emergence of China’s DeepSeek chatbot as a potential competitor.

While Nvidia declined to comment on the FT report, Huang stated that the company can now manufacture its latest systems in the U.S. through key suppliers like Taiwanese chipmakers TSMC (2330.TW) and Foxconn (2317.TW). He also noted an increasing competitive threat from China’s Huawei.

Huang highlighted that TSMC’s U.S. investments significantly strengthen Nvidia’s supply chain resilience. Earlier, at Nvidia’s developer conference in California, he told analysts that orders for 3.6 million Blackwell AI chips from four major cloud firms likely underestimate actual demand, as they do not account for customers such as Meta Platforms (META.O), smaller cloud providers, and startups.

Intel Shares Surge 14% Following Appointment of New CEO Lip-Bu Tan

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Shares of Intel surged nearly 14% on Thursday, following the announcement that Lip-Bu Tan, former board member, has been appointed as the new CEO. Tan, who had left the company in August due to differences over its direction, is now tasked with revitalizing the chipmaker, which has faced several years of underperformance in the market.

Intel has struggled to capitalize on the artificial intelligence-driven semiconductor boom, having lost market share in the data center and PC markets while facing significant losses in its manufacturing division. Over the past five years, the company’s stock has dropped about 60%, underperforming the broader market, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 more than doubling in that period.

Analysts are optimistic about Tan’s appointment, citing his extensive relationships within the chip ecosystem, which could help bring customers to Intel’s contract manufacturing business. TD Cowen analysts noted that Tan’s deep connections in the industry made his appointment the best possible option for stakeholders. Tan will officially take over next week, just three months after Intel ousted Pat Gelsinger as CEO.

Tan had been on Intel’s board for two years, where he helped strategize the company’s turnaround. His departure in August was due to disagreements over workforce size and company culture, but his return brings renewed hope. Despite recent skepticism about Intel’s future, analysts expect Tan to continue the approach set by Gelsinger, focusing on keeping chip design and manufacturing together. Tan also expressed a goal to make Intel a leading foundry, a term used for companies that contract out chip manufacturing.

Despite his strong track record at Cadence Design Systems, where he led a decade of growth, analysts caution that a turnaround at Intel will take time. The company’s market value has struggled to surpass $100 billion for the first time in three decades, and Intel’s AI chip business has failed to meet sales targets. However, analysts remain hopeful, with some believing that Tan’s previous tenure at Intel will provide him with a deep understanding of the company’s challenges.

Still, analysts remain divided, with many holding a “hold” rating on Intel’s stock, as the company continues to face challenges, including stiff competition from rivals like Broadcom and TSMC. Experts like Dan Morgan, senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust, believe Intel may still require a strong partnership to successfully navigate its foundry business and return to profitability.