Samsung faces a potential 18-day strike by over 45,000 workers starting May 18, 2026. This labor action threatens the global supply of memory chips for AI data centers and smartphones. The company is currently engaged in government-mediated pay negotiations to avoid the walkout.
TSMC is selling its stake in Vanguard International Semiconductor through an $850 million block trade. The company maintains that this sale does not change its strategic relationship with Vanguard.
The Hang Seng TECH sub-index dropped 2.5% following the news from both manufacturers. NVIDIA shares fell in U.S. trading as investors weighed concentrated supply-chain risks.