STOCKS | IC Designers Say TSMC Plans to Raise Mature-Node Foundry Prices Starting January

IC design companies said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plans to raise wafer foundry prices for mature process nodes starting in January next year, following earlier price increases for advanced processes. According to Odaily, the companies said they will continue seeking larger wafer foundry capacity allocations for next year than they received this year to support expanding operating scale. The IC designers said higher mature-node quotes in the first half of this year from packaging and testing firms and foundries other than TSMC increased IC production costs, leading them to negotiate product price increases with customers. They added that if TSMC confirms mature-node price hikes for next year, they expect to negotiate further price increases with customers. The companies said customers may attempt to pass higher costs on to their own customers, creating a chain reaction.