AI | Semiconductors | Commodities, Mint Finance

Raghav Vashisht

AI | Semiconductors | Commodities

Deep Fundamental Analysis

Mint Finance

Mint Finance's investment research blends deep fundamental analysis with technical & quant insights. Investment strategies straddle across multiple asset classes with risk management embedded into every trade to deliver an outsized reward-to-risk ratio.

Mint Finance's research is centered around three key themes. First, energy transition and climate change. Second, artificial intelligence. Third, shifting world order with its impact across politics and monetary economics.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>SoftBank widens its AI bet with a $2B stake in Intel, suffers a 12% dip over two consecutive days.</li>
<li>Nvidia’s dominance has hyperscalers wary of lock-in. With Amazon and Microsoft building their chips, SoftBank’s move lands right as the market searches for alternatives.</li>
<li>Can Son replicate Intel’s historic design-fab alignment in AI, or would execution risk outweigh his ecosystem-diversification logic?</li>
</ul>


SoftBank widens its AI bet with a $2B stake in Intel, suffers a 12% dip over two consecutive days.
Nvidia’s dominance has hyperscalers wary of lock-in. With Amazon and Microsoft building their chips, SoftBank’s move lands right as the market searches for alternatives.
Can Son replicate Intel’s historic design-fab alignment in AI, or would execution risk outweigh his ecosystem-diversification logic?


Masa’s AI Double Down: Masterstroke or Misstep?

Taiwan Tech Focused Senior Analyst

Patrick Liao

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) - ADR / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) - ADR

<ul>
<li>TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei previously emphasized that customer demand for 2nm technology surpasses that for 3nm, and the company is actively working to expand production capacity. </li>
<li>For 2nm technology, we expect production to take place at the Tainan fab, ahead of the U.S. Arizona fab and earlier than the previously anticipated 2028 timeline.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-sp-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8587:1" rel="noopener">Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) - ADR (TSM US)'</a>s next generation 2nm development is actively progressing.</li>
</ul>


TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei previously emphasized that customer demand for 2nm technology surpasses that for 3nm, and the company is actively working to expand production capacity. 
For 2nm technology, we expect production to take place at the Tainan fab, ahead of the U.S. Arizona fab and earlier than the previously anticipated 2028 timeline.

Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) - ADR (TSM US)'s next generation 2nm development is actively progressing.


TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): 2nm Production Schedule in US Could Be One Year Ahead of Previous Schedule.

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist, Ingenuity

William Keating

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist

Ingenuity

Our focus is exclusively on in-depth research & consulting in the broader semiconductor industry. We focus on the key players, namely Intel, Micron, Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, NVIDIA, AMD, TSMC & Global Foundries - as well as some of the lesser known, but nonetheless critical, companies such as ASML (for EUV), Mellanox, Cavium, Xilinx etc. We specialise in their products, roadmaps, process technologies, competitive advantages & threats etc. We also help our clients understand the implications of new and emerging technologies, e.g. 3D X-Point, 3D NAND, Carbon Nanotubes, Autonomous Driving, Graphene, Silicon Photonics, Wafer-Level Optics, Artificial Intelligence, FPGA, GPU, ASIC etc. 

Semiconductor Analysis & Research

<ul>
<li>US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the US Administration is pursuing a strategy of converting CHIPS Act funding into equity stakes with Intel acting as its guinea pig</li>
<li>It seems clear that Mr. Lutnick is bent on applying the same formula with other beneficiaries of US CHIPs Act funding</li>
<li>CHIPs Act Dollars for Equity, Pay For China Play may seem like innovative ideas but in reality they are a slippery slope to confusion &amp; chaos. Who or what's next?</li>
</ul>


US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the US Administration is pursuing a strategy of converting CHIPS Act funding into equity stakes with Intel acting as its guinea pig
It seems clear that Mr. Lutnick is bent on applying the same formula with other beneficiaries of US CHIPs Act funding
CHIPs Act Dollars for Equity, Pay For China Play may seem like innovative ideas but in reality they are a slippery slope to confusion &amp; chaos. Who or what's next?


CHIPS Act Money For Equity Stake, Pay For China Play? For Goodness Sake!

Head of Research, Krungthai XSpring

Waraporn Wiboonkanarak

Head of Research

A full service Thai brokerage

Krungthai XSpring

Krungthai XSpring is a full service broker. The company provides a wide range of investment services such as Securities Brokerage, Derivative Agent Business, Securities Borrowing and Lending, Securities Trading, Underwriting, Financial Advisory, Wealth Advisory, Private Fund Management and International Markets Securities Trading. 

In terms of credibility, Fitch Ratings has assigned Krunghtai XSpring a long-term rating of AA- and a national short-term rating of F1+ with stable outlook.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>The SET Index today is expected to weaken, with the support at 1,230/1,222 points (25-day EMA) and the resistance at 1,247 points (10-day EMA)/1,255 points.</li><li>Foreign fund outflows continue in the short term.</li><li>Semiconductor producers led the technology sector lower, down -1.88%.</li></ul>

The SET Index today is expected to weaken, with the support at 1,230/1,222 points (25-day EMA) and the resistance at 1,247 points (10-day EMA)/1,255 points.Foreign fund outflows continue in the short term.Semiconductor producers led the technology sector lower, down -1.88%.

Krungthai XSpring Zoom Eng. August 20, 2025

Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

<ul>
<li>Results: Q1 FY26 came in solid, with strength in Electronic Materials offsetting weakness in Insulation.</li>
<li>Guidance/Estimates: FY26 guidance was reiterated, and we retain our estimates, with 2H execution key.</li>
<li>Valuation: At ~9.5x EV/EBITDA FY26E, Nittobo looks inexpensive, with its monopoly T-glass exposure offering direct leverage to NVIDIA-driven AI/data center demand.</li>
</ul>


Results: Q1 FY26 came in solid, with strength in Electronic Materials offsetting weakness in Insulation.
Guidance/Estimates: FY26 guidance was reiterated, and we retain our estimates, with 2H execution key.
Valuation: At ~9.5x EV/EBITDA FY26E, Nittobo looks inexpensive, with its monopoly T-glass exposure offering direct leverage to NVIDIA-driven AI/data center demand.


Nittobo (3110 JP) – Q1 Solid, Guidance Retained; 2H Execution Key for AI-Led Growth

United States

NVIDIA Corporation designs, develops, and markets three dimensional (3D) graphics processors and related software.  The Company's products provide interactive 3D graphics to the mainstream personal computer market.

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NVIDIA Corp (NVDA US)

Masa’s AI Double Down: Masterstroke or Misstep?

SoftBank invests $2B in Intel for AI, faces stock drop. While the market seems to look for alternatives to Nvidia, Son's strategy is still...

Mint Finance

TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): 2nm Production Schedule in US Could Be One Year Ahead of Previous Schedule.

TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei prioritizes 2nm technology over 3nm due to high customer demand, with production expected at Tainan fab ahead of schedule.

Patrick Liao

CHIPS Act Money For Equity Stake, Pay For China Play? For Goodness Sake!

CHIPs Act Dollars for Equity, Pay For China Play may seem like innovative ideas but in reality they are a slippery slope to confusion & chaos. Who...

William Keating

Krungthai XSpring Zoom Eng. August 20, 2025

The SET Index today is expected to weaken, with the support at 1,230/1,222 points (25-day EMA) and the resistance at 1,247 points (10-day EMA)...

Krungthai XSpring

Nittobo (3110 JP) – Q1 Solid, Guidance Retained; 2H Execution Key for AI-Led Growth

Q1 FY26 results solid, Electronic Materials strong, Insulation weak. FY26 guidance reiterated, Nittobo undervalued at 9.5x EV/EBITDA with T-glass...

Rahul Jain

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

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Masa’s AI Double Down: Masterstroke or Misstep?

​SoftBank invests $2B in Intel for AI, faces stock drop. While the market seems to look for alternatives to Nvidia, Son's strategy is still...

Mint Finance

TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): 2nm Production Schedule in US Could Be One Year Ahead of Previous Schedule.

​TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei prioritizes 2nm technology over 3nm due to high customer demand, with production expected at Tainan fab ahead of schedule.

Patrick Liao

CHIPS Act Money For Equity Stake, Pay For China Play? For Goodness Sake!

CHIPs Act Dollars for Equity, Pay For China Play may seem like innovative ideas but in reality they are a slippery slope to confusion & chaos. Who...

William Keating

Krungthai XSpring Zoom Eng. August 20, 2025

The SET Index today is expected to weaken, with the support at 1,230/1,222 points (25-day EMA) and the resistance at 1,247 points (10-day EMA)...

Krungthai XSpring

Nittobo (3110 JP) – Q1 Solid, Guidance Retained; 2H Execution Key for AI-Led Growth

​Q1 FY26 results solid, Electronic Materials strong, Insulation weak. FY26 guidance reiterated, Nittobo undervalued at 9.5x EV/EBITDA with T-glass...

Rahul Jain

SoftBank invests $2B in Intel for AI, faces stock drop. While the market seems to look for alternatives to Nvidia, Son's strategy is still...

TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei prioritizes 2nm technology over 3nm due to high customer demand, with production expected at Tainan fab ahead of schedule.

Q1 FY26 results solid, Electronic Materials strong, Insulation weak. FY26 guidance reiterated, Nittobo undervalued at 9.5x EV/EBITDA with T-glass...