Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Posts 48.1% Increase in April Revenue

Investing.com-- TSMC’s (NYSE:TSM) April sales surged to a record high, the company said on Friday, as the chipmaker’s customers brought forward their orders in fear of increased costs from steep U.S. trade tariffs. 

TSMC’s April sales surged 48.1% year-on-year to T$349.57 billion ($10.76 billion), its highest monthly showing ever. The previous monthly high in sales was October 2024’s T$314.24 billion. 

The April figures brought TSMC’s year-to-date revenue to T$1.19 trillion, up 43.5% from a year earlier. 

The world’s largest contract chipmaker benefited from a sharp increase in orders, especially as its customers brought forward orders scheduled for later this year in anticipation of higher costs from increased U.S. trade tariffs. 

U.S. President Donald Trump had in early-April unveiled plans to impose a 32% tariff on Taiwanese imports, although he postponed the tariffs by three months to early-July. Taiwanese officials have been in trade discussions with the U.S. since mid-to-late April. 

In addition to the 32% duty, TSMC also faces a 10% universal tariff on all exports to the U.S., as well as potential tariffs on semiconductors, which Trump has threatened to impose in the coming months.

The world’s largest contract chipmaker has benefited greatly from increased artificial intelligence-fueled demand over the past two years, given that it is a key component of the global chip supply chain. The company is also a key supplier to AI major Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA). 

While TSMC has built out production capacity in the U.S., it still conducts a bulk of its production outside the country. But TSMC has pledged a total $165 billion in U.S. investment to build out more production capacity in the country. 

The company currently has one operational foundry in Arizona, and is in the process of expanding the facility. 

Investing.com-- U.S. stock index futures fell slightly on Wednesday evening after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady as expected, but warned of increased risks from inflation and economic uncertainty. 

Futures retreated after chipmakers helped spur last-minute gains on Wall Street, following comments that the Donald Trump administration was planning to scale back export curbs on artificial intelligence chips. 

Investors were also looking to upcoming trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials, although hopes for an immediate deescalation remained dim. Trump also said he had no plans to lower his 145% tariffs on China ahead of the talks. 

S&P 500 Futures fell 0.1% to 5,645.75 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures fell 0.1% to 19,948.75 points by 19:50 ET (23:50 GMT). Dow Jones Futures fell 0.1% to 41,168.0 points. 

Fed keeps rates steady, Powell flags heightened risk 

The Fed kept interest rates steady as widely expected on Wednesday, but warned that risks of higher inflation and unemployment had increased, further clouding the economic outlook in the face of Trump’s trade tariffs.

Chair Jerome Powell said it was unclear if the economy would continue to grow steadily, or shrink due to a potential spike in inflation. 

Powell flagged heightened uncertainty over just what Trump will do with his tariff agenda, and signaled that the central bank will not make any changes until the outlook was clear. 

Powell’s comments underscored just how uncertain the U.S. economic outlook had turned under Trump, whose sweeping trade tariffs are expected to spark widespread disruption. 

But Powell also noted that the U.S. economy remained relatively resilient, and flagged a largely wait-and-see approach for future interest rate decisions. He also largely ruled out a preemptive interest rate cut, despite several calls from Trump for lower rates. 

Chipmakers help boost Wall Street

Wall Street clocked last-minute gains on Wednesday, aided chiefly by major chipmaking stocks after the Trump administration signaled that it will rescind Biden-era curbs on the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips. 

The restrictions were aimed at keeping the U.S. at the forefront of AI development, and were also aimed at restricting China’s access to the fast-growing technology. 

Fewer export restrictions will benefit U.S.-based chipmakers, allowing them to sell more advanced chips overseas. AI chip major Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) rose 3.1% on this notion, although the stock fell slightly in aftermarket trade.

U.S. shares of TSMC (NYSE:TSM) rose 1.3% and were flat in aftermarket trade, while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) steadied after a 1.9% gain during the session.

Gains in chipmakers helped Wall Street close higher on Wednesday, helping offset muted optimism over U.S.-China trade talks and the Fed’s warning. 

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,631.27 points, while the NASDAQ Composite rose 0.3% to 17,738.16 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7% to 41,113.97 points. 

A major outlier was Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), after a report said iPhone maker Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was considering adding AI-based search options to its web browser, which presents more competition for Google. 

Investing.com-- U.S. stock index futures fell slightly on Wednesday evening after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady as expected, but warned of increased risks from inflation and economic uncertainty. 

Futures retreated after chipmakers helped spur last-minute gains on Wall Street, following comments that the Donald Trump administration was planning to scale back export curbs on artificial intelligence chips. 

Investors were also looking to upcoming trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials, although hopes for an immediate deescalation remained dim. Trump also said he had no plans to lower his 145% tariffs on China ahead of the talks. 

S&P 500 Futures fell 0.1% to 5,645.75 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures fell 0.1% to 19,948.75 points by 19:50 ET (23:50 GMT). Dow Jones Futures fell 0.1% to 41,168.0 points. 

Fed keeps rates steady, Powell flags heightened risk 

The Fed kept interest rates steady as widely expected on Wednesday, but warned that risks of higher inflation and unemployment had increased, further clouding the economic outlook in the face of Trump’s trade tariffs.

Chair Jerome Powell said it was unclear if the economy would continue to grow steadily, or shrink due to a potential spike in inflation. 

Powell flagged heightened uncertainty over just what Trump will do with his tariff agenda, and signaled that the central bank will not make any changes until the outlook was clear. 

Powell’s comments underscored just how uncertain the U.S. economic outlook had turned under Trump, whose sweeping trade tariffs are expected to spark widespread disruption. 

But Powell also noted that the U.S. economy remained relatively resilient, and flagged a largely wait-and-see approach for future interest rate decisions. He also largely ruled out a preemptive interest rate cut, despite several calls from Trump for lower rates. 

Chipmakers help boost Wall Street

Wall Street clocked last-minute gains on Wednesday, aided chiefly by major chipmaking stocks after the Trump administration signaled that it will rescind Biden-era curbs on the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips. 

The restrictions were aimed at keeping the U.S. at the forefront of AI development, and were also aimed at restricting China’s access to the fast-growing technology. 

Fewer export restrictions will benefit U.S.-based chipmakers, allowing them to sell more advanced chips overseas. AI chip major Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) rose 3.1% on this notion, although the stock fell slightly in aftermarket trade.

U.S. shares of TSMC (NYSE:TSM) rose 1.3% and were flat in aftermarket trade, while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) steadied after a 1.9% gain during the session.

Gains in chipmakers helped Wall Street close higher on Wednesday, helping offset muted optimism over U.S.-China trade talks and the Fed’s warning. 

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,631.27 points, while the NASDAQ Composite rose 0.3% to 17,738.16 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7% to 41,113.97 points. 

A major outlier was Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), after a report said iPhone maker Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was considering adding AI-based search options to its web browser, which presents more competition for Google.