TSMC‘s second-quarter profit seen hitting record on AI boom

businesstimes.com.sg Jul 16, 2026

TSMC‘s second-quarter profit seen hitting record on AI boom

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jul 16, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) reported a record second-quarter profit of T$706.6 billion (US$22 billion), a 77 percent increase that surpassed market forecasts. The chipmaker, a primary supplier to Nvidia and Apple, attributed the surge to robust demand for advanced AI chips. TSMC raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast by up to 14 percent, projecting spending between US$60 billion and US$64 billion. Additionally, the company pledged a further US$100 billion investment in Arizona, adding to previously announced commitments. Full-year revenue guidance was upgraded to reflect a slightly more than 40 percent increase. TSMC’s market capitalization now stands at approximately US$1.97 trillion, nearly double that of rival Samsung Electronics. The results mark the ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit profit growth, underscoring sustained momentum in the semiconductor sector driven by artificial intelligence applications and advanced packaging technologies like CoWoS.

💡 Why It Matters

· TSMC’s expanded US$100 billion Arizona commitment deepens the geopolitical entanglement of global chip supply chains, shifting critical manufacturing capacity away from Taiwan.
· This strategic pivot reinforces the US government’s push for semiconductor self-sufficiency while validating the long-term economic viability of the AI infrastructure build-out.

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Foxconn deepens humanoid robotics bet with US$9 million stake in Agility-linked SPAC

Foxconn has invested US$9 million in a US special-purpose acquisition company connected to Agility Robotics, a developer of humanoid robots. The move highlights the growing interest in AI-driven automation among manufacturers and supply-chain players. The investment reflects a broader trend as companies position themselves in the evolving robotics and automation landscape.

💡 Foxconn’s stake signals a strategic pivot toward robotics, aligning with its long-term vision to diversify beyond electronics manufacturing. The partnership could accelerate the commercialization of humanoid robots, a sector with potential applications in logistics, healthcare, and beyond.

techcrunch.com · Jul 16

SpaceX falls to $135 IPO price ahead of Starship launch

SpaceX’s shares closed at $135.27 on Wednesday, barely above the $135 IPO price set by CEO Elon Musk for the June 12 offering that raised nearly $86 billion. After peaking above $200 in the days following the debut, the stock has slipped weekly, spending much of the day under the IPO level and briefly dropping below $133. The decline reflects a tiny 4 percent float on Nasdaq, which amplifies price swings, and a broader cooling of enthusiasm for Musk’s ambitious plans amid a tech‑stock pullback. Bonds issued in the IPO have also weakened. The dip comes ahead of SpaceX’s first post‑IPO Starship test launch, a deliberately sacrificial flight that will end in an explosion, marking a critical early test of market confidence in the company’s high‑risk development strategy.

💡 The stock’s fragile rebound underscores investor skepticism toward Musk’s ultra‑ambitious space agenda, setting a benchmark for upcoming IPOs by peers such as Anthropic and OpenAI.

en.prnasia.com · Jul 16

Futu Unveils Major AI Upgrade, Making Professional Agentic Investing Accessible to All,…

Futu Securities International announced a comprehensive upgrade to its AI capabilities with the launch of "Expert" mode, a self-developed AI agent designed to make professional agentic investing accessible to all users. Powered by a novel "Agentic AI + Skills" architecture, the new system emphasizes simplicity, customization, and security. The launch event, held at Futu’s Causeway Bay flagship store, attracted over 50 guests, including industry experts and professors, while the livestream garnered more than 40,000 views. This upgrade introduces Hong Kong’s first AI solution spanning the entire investment journey, from information gathering to trade execution. Unlike passive Q&A assistants, the new platform acts as an intelligent partner capable of independent thinking and proactive planning. Chief Marketing Officer Joe Yu emphasized the goal of democratizing intelligent investing, enabling retail investors to access professional-grade tools. Head of AI Growth Center Vincent Yao demonstrated how the technology empowers the full investment process through advanced reflection and strategy execution, marking a significant shift in financial technology accessibility.

💡 The transition from passive assistance to autonomous execution lowers the barrier for retail investors to compete with institutional algorithms. By embedding professional-grade decision-making directly into consumer platforms, Futu accelerates the commoditization of sophisticated financial strategies.

en.prnasia.com · Jul 16

Futu Unveils Major AI Upgrade, Making Professional Agentic Investing Accessible to All,…

Futu Securities International announced a comprehensive AI upgrade on July 16, 2026, launching its self-developed "Expert" mode. This new feature utilizes a novel "Agentic AI + Skills" architecture to provide professional-grade investment tools to retail investors. The launch event at Futu’s Causeway Bay flagship store attracted over 50 industry experts and finance KOLs. Simultaneously, the livestream garnered more than 40,000 views. The upgrade marks Hong Kong’s first AI solution spanning the entire investment journey, from information gathering to trade execution. Unlike passive Q&A assistants, this system enables independent thinking and proactive planning. Chief Marketing Officer Joe Yu emphasized the goal of democratizing intelligent investing capabilities. Head of AI Growth Center Vincent Yao demonstrated how the technology enhances decision-making rationality. The platform aims to empower users to analyze markets effectively and seize profit opportunities through intuitive, secure, and customizable features.

💡 This shift transforms retail trading from reactive information consumption to autonomous strategy execution. It lowers the technical barrier for individual investors to access institutional-grade analytical workflows.

businesstimes.com.sg · Jul 16

TSMC to invest another US$100 billion in US as Q2 profit blows…

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) announced a further US$100 billion investment in Arizona, adding to its existing US$165 billion commitment. The chipmaker reported a record second-quarter profit of T$706.6 billion (US$22 billion), a 77 per cent increase that surpassed market forecasts. Driven by robust AI demand, TSMC raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast by up to 14 per cent, projecting spending between US$60 billion and US$64 billion. Full-year revenue is now expected to rise by slightly more than 40 per cent. TSMC’s market capitalisation has nearly doubled that of Samsung Electronics to approximately US$1.97 trillion. Analysts note sustained demand for its 3-nanometre and 2-nanometre process technologies and CoWoS packaging. The company also posted a 36 per cent revenue surge in the second quarter. This performance marks TSMC’s ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit profit growth, reinforcing its position as a primary supplier to major clients like Nvidia and Apple amidst the global AI boom.

💡 TSMC’s expanded US footprint and raised spending targets validate the long-term viability of the AI infrastructure build-out. This commitment reduces geopolitical supply chain risks while cementing Arizona’s status as a critical global semiconductor hub.

newsbreak.com · Jul 16

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Tesla, Space Exploration Technologies, Amazon.com and Microsoft

Zacks.com’s Analyst Blog highlighted four marquee stocks—Tesla, SpaceX, Amazon and Microsoft—on July 16, 2026, focusing on SpaceX’s rapid ascent. Analysts argued that SpaceX may have eclipsed Tesla as Elon Musk’s primary wealth generator, citing its $75 billion IPO, a market‑cap surge that briefly surpassed Amazon and Microsoft, and dominant reusable‑rocket launch capabilities. The firm now leads global commercial launches, serves NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense and international clients, and operates the expansive Starlink broadband network. Additionally, SpaceX is positioning itself as a vertically integrated AI infrastructure provider, merging large‑scale computing, satellite connectivity and its xAI chatbot Grok under a SpaceXAI brand. The blog’s commentary underscores the shifting valuation dynamics within Musk’s empire and the broader space‑economy landscape.

💡 SpaceX’s expanding market cap and AI‑satellite convergence could reshape capital flows toward space‑based technologies, accelerating industry consolidation and redefining growth benchmarks for high‑tech conglomerates.