AI Chip Concept Stocks Watch | SMIC (00981.HK) down 0.38%, UMC and PSMC move to raise mature-node foundry prices

NewTimeSpace News, on 21 September 2026, AI chip stocks traded with volatility while SMIC (00981.HK) weakened. As of 13:47, the company quoted HKD 64.900, down 0.38%.

On the news front, on 21 September, media reports said that rising power consumption and voltage in AI servers are driving demand for mature-node chips such as power management ICs, microcontrollers and sensors, and that the spillover of orders from TSMC's gradual withdrawal from part of its mature-node capacity has pushed capacity utilization at foundries including United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) to high levels, with supply falling short of demand. UMC has signalled an upcoming price increase, and PSMC is reported to be seeking price rises of up to 40% on some products; UMC expects wafer shipments to grow by a high single-digit percentage quarter on quarter this quarter, with capacity utilization above 90% and gross margin in the mid-30% range.

In addition, on 21 September, data released by the Korea Customs Service showed that South Korea's exports reached USD 71.4 billion in the 1-20 September period, up 78% year on year and the highest on record for the period; chip exports rose 259% year on year to USD 34.12 billion, accounting for 47.8% of total exports.

KAIYUAN SECURITIES CO., LTD. noted that as semiconductor manufacturing resources become further concentrated on AI-related high-value products, the wafer manufacturing resources available to some traditional analog chips have come under pressure, constraining new supply; amid adjustments to overseas mature-node capacity allocation, some customers in areas such as high-voltage and image sensors are shifting their products and wafer starts to Chinese mainland foundries for reasons of price and capacity stability.

SMIC (00981.HK) Provides IC wafer foundry and related technical services. It is the largest pure-play wafer foundry in China by capacity and offers the broadest coverage of process nodes. Its mature and select advanced process lines address applications including smart terminals, IoT, and computing chips. Based on its periodic disclosures, wafer shipments, capacity utilization, and revenue are at historically high levels.

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