Weekly News Bulletin Sep 18, 2026
Weekly Semiconductor Industry News Brief
① "14th Five-Year Plan" for Electronic Information Manufacturing Industry Issued, Calling for Whole-Chain IC Breakthroughs
On September 15, the "14th Five-Year (2026–2030) Development Plan for the Electronic Information Manufacturing Industry", jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, was made public. Under "strengthening industrial foundation capabilities", the plan explicitly calls for advancing whole-chain breakthroughs in integrated circuits, developing high-end chip products such as high-performance processors, high-density memory, and high-reliability analog and mixed-signal chips, and "improving AI chip design capabilities". Under "building an advanced computing ecosystem", it proposes accelerating new computing paradigms including computing-in-memory, quantum computing, optical computing and neuromorphic computing.
② Omdia: Q2 Global Semiconductor Revenue Hits Record High; First Three Quarters May Exceed $1.25 Trillion
On September 14, market research firm Omdia released its latest semiconductor market report. Data show that global semiconductor revenue in the second quarter of 2026 exceeded US$425 billion, a record high, up 31.4% quarter on quarter—the largest quarterly increase in the firm's statistical history and surpassing the 29.2% record set in the first quarter of 2026. Total global semiconductor revenue for the first half of 2026 reached US$752 billion. AI demand and continued strength in memory prices remain the core drivers of this upcycle, and the firm expects global semiconductor revenue for the first three quarters of 2026 to potentially exceed US$1.25 trillion.
③ 2026 Beijing Microelectronics International Symposium & IC WORLD Conference Held
From September 16 to 18, the 2026 Beijing Microelectronics International Symposium & IC WORLD Conference was held at the Beiren Yichuang International Convention & Exhibition Center in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area. Under the theme "Navigating Intelligence on the Chip Path, Strengthening Cores for a New Chapter", the event built an industry exchange platform through two components: academic conferences and an exposition. The academic program featured one summit forum and more than ten thematic forums, focusing on frontier topics such as optoelectronic integration, 3D ICs, RISC-V, equipment components and materials, and smart factories, with nearly 150 industry experts and business leaders invited to share insights. The "Semiconductor Supply Chain Equipment and Process New Ecosystem Forum" held on September 17 focused on metallization process equipment, laser direct-write lithography, CIM, and metrology and inspection.
④ Resonac Successfully Develops 12-Inch Silicon Carbide Single-Crystal Substrate
On September 15, Japanese functional chemicals manufacturer Resonac (formerly Showa Denko) announced that it had successfully produced a 300mm (12-inch) silicon carbide single crystal and processed it into a substrate. 300mm is among the largest silicon carbide substrate sizes currently under development worldwide, and the achievement is regarded as an important technical milestone in the evolution of SiC substrates and epitaxial wafers toward larger sizes and higher quality. The company currently mainly supplies 150mm (6-inch) SiC epitaxial wafers and is continuing to advance its 200mm (8-inch) product roadmap.
⑤ Zhejiang Jingsheng Mechanical & Electrical: Achieves Localization of 8-12 Inch Large Silicon Wafer Equipment
On September 16, Zhejiang Jingsheng Mechanical & Electrical (Jingsheng) responded on the investor interaction platform that the company continues to tackle core technologies in semiconductor equipment and materials, relying on R&D innovation to advance the self-reliance of core equipment and materials. On the semiconductor equipment side, the company has achieved localization of 8-12 inch large silicon wafer equipment; its SiC equipment has achieved breakthroughs in multiple core technologies across crystal growth, processing and epitaxy; on substrate materials, the company has scaled production capacity for SiC substrates, sapphire and cultivated diamond.
⑥ Semiconductor Silicon Wafer Price Increases Continue; Institutions Expect the Upcycle to Persist
On September 16, media reports noted that after semiconductor silicon wafers saw their first across-the-board price increase across all sizes in more than three years in September 2026, the trend continues to unfold. In May, overseas leaders including Shin-Etsu Chemical, SUMCO and GlobalWafers had raised prices for 12-inch products in concert, and domestic wafer makers followed with adjustments. Institutional analysis suggests that AI computing demand is driving high-end categories such as heavily doped wafers to benefit first, and this round of wafer price increases is expected to last into 2027, with revenue elasticity gradually emerging as long-term agreements between leading fabs and wafer suppliers come up for renewal.
⑦ Apple Accepts Samsung's Q1 2027 Memory Chip Quotes, Up 30%-40%
On September 15, Jiemian News reported from the supply chain that Apple has accepted Samsung Electronics' Q1 2027 memory chip quotes: DRAM at close to US$2.0 per Gb and NAND flash at close to US$0.33 per Gb, up 30%-40% from Q3 2026 quotes. Institutional estimates show that memory costs now account for a markedly larger share of bill-of-materials costs in some end products, and the impact of rising memory prices on the cost structure of the consumer electronics supply chain continues to draw attention.
⑧ Institution: Full-Chain Price Increases for Semiconductor Equipment Components; Localization Accelerates
On September 17, China Securities Co. (CITIC-Construction) published a research report arguing that pricing power in the semiconductor supply chain is structurally shifting from chip end-products to the equipment and components segments. Component makers are generally small in scale, with high fixed-cost ratios and long expansion and qualification cycles; against the backdrop of concentrated fab expansion demand, product lead times are lengthening and prices are rising, providing a basis for continued price increases. Localization of non-metallic components such as quartz and ceramics is accelerating in parallel.
⑨ Phichem Material: Semiconductor Materials Smart Factory Enters Trial Production
On September 16, Phichem Material stated at the 2026 Shanghai-listed companies collective reception day and interim results briefing that the production line of its Anqing Xingkai semiconductor materials smart factory has entered the trial production stage, with product capacity being gradually switched according to production and operation arrangements; the line is running smoothly overall with good yields. The factory's products are mainly applied in memory, power management, silicon carbide power devices and other fields.
⑩ BSE 50 Index Sample Adjustment Takes Effect; Kaide Quartz and Huifeng Diamond Added
On September 14, the Beijing Stock Exchange and China Securities Index Co. completed the regular adjustment of BSE 50 index samples, officially taking effect with four stocks added: Kaide Quartz, Huifeng Diamond, Medela and Hengdongguang, while four stocks were removed. The newly added companies operate in segments including semiconductor quartz materials and diamond functional materials, further strengthening the index's representation of "specialized and sophisticated" enterprises and key links of the industrial chain.
Click for more details
① https://www.sohu.com/a/1076367635_361746
② https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260914A0CNMO00
③ https://www.sohu.com/a/1076975389_121123912
④ https://www.eet-china.com/news/202609166339.html
⑤ https://www.guandian.cn/article/20260916/602673.html
⑥ https://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/relnews/cn/2026-09-16/doc-inirzfsy2931177.shtml
⑦ https://finance.sina.com.cn/jjxw/2026-09-15/doc-inirwmvy8765685.shtml
⑧ https://fund.jrj.com.cn/2026/09/17111458469186.shtml
⑨ https://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/s/2026-09-17/doc-inisatuq9421981.shtml
⑩ https://www.sohu.com/a/1076502638_121448078
