Semiconductor Supply Chain: Taiwan’s TSMC had to delay its June 2026 monthly sales data after Typhoon Bavi shut Taiwan’s financial markets, pushing the release to July 13 and compressing the window before TSMC’s Q2 results on July 16—another reminder that AI numbers can hinge on one place in Hsinchu. Memory Boom: Micron broke ground in Japan on a ¥1.5T ($9.3B) Higashihiroshima expansion for HBM, with shipments targeted for summer 2028, while Micron also plans to lift U.S. investment to $250B+ to meet AI memory demand. Taiwan Chip Partnerships: GlobalWafers said it reached a 10-year long-term agreement with Micron, including $500M strategic financing, to strengthen U.S. advanced wafer supply for AI-driven memory. AI Compute Arms Race: Meta is reportedly targeting September to start production of its in-house “Iris” AI chip, built by TSMC with Broadcom support, as the company ramps AI infrastructure capacity. Food Safety & Industry Risk: Central Union Oil’s top executives were granted bail in Taiwan’s tainted cooking oil case, as prosecutors continue investigating excessive benzo[a]pyrene levels and a recall of affected products. Strait Stability & Defense Industry: Japan and Taiwan security coordination was highlighted as key to managing “gray zone” threats, with joint coast guard drills cited as a practical response. Weather Disruption: Typhoon Bavi triggered emergency measures across China, Taiwan, and Japan, including market shutdowns, evacuations, and widespread flight cancellations.