Defense Readiness: Taiwan kicked off a five-day “Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise” to speed the shift from peacetime to wartime operations, with units moving into defensive positions and drills focused on command, coordination, logistics and battlefield familiarity amid China pressure. Macro Outlook: UBS lifted its 2026 Taiwan GDP growth forecast to 9.9%, citing stronger exports, improved manufacturing indicators, and reduced geopolitical uncertainty after US-Iran talks. Semiconductor Momentum: Taiwan stocks hit fresh highs as TSMC led gains on AI demand optimism; ASE also jumped on advanced packaging and testing interest. AI & Chips Ecosystem: Google partnered with MediaTek on an enhanced TPU v9 (“Triggerfish”) for AI agent workloads, with production targeted for late 2027. Digital Economy & Retail: Shopee’s app is now integrated into ChatGPT across multiple markets, pushing AI-assisted shopping and recommendations into everyday e-commerce. Gaming Industry: Taiwan’s game software revenue rose to NT$71bn in 2025, up 48.7% over five years, driven by online and mobile gaming. Sustainability Rules: Taiwan plans to ease sustainability reporting burdens and issue anti-greenwashing guidelines by end-2026, aiming to cut compliance costs while keeping net-zero progress on track. Shipping & Logistics: Yang Ming said transpacific and Asia–North Europe lanes are fully booked into July as an early peak season and restocking support demand into Q3, while air cargo capacity constraints limit alternatives. Construction Tech: Taichung’s environmental bureau highlighted technology-based pollution control for construction sites as urban development accelerates.