China Tightens Checks On Chip Imports

Economic Indicators - The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to release September's CPI data despite the government shutdown, as staff have been recalled to ensure the report is published [4] Electric Vehicle Industry - Ford has delayed its plans to purchase lithium from Liontown and has reversed its strategy regarding the now-expired EV tax credit [5] Semiconductor Industry - China is intensifying enforcement of import controls on semiconductors, particularly targeting Nvidia's AI chips, to reduce reliance on U.S. technology [6][7] - Customs inspections have expanded to include all advanced semiconductor products, with reports indicating that at least $1 billion worth of Nvidia's top AI chips were smuggled into China in the last three months [8] - In the U.S., bipartisan legislation has been passed requiring advanced AI chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD to prioritize American customers over Chinese buyers, although the future of this measure remains uncertain [9] Market Trends - Microsoft forecasts that data center demand is outpacing capacity [10] - Cannabis stocks have seen an increase following strong earnings from Tilray Brands [11] - Civitas Resources is considering a merger with SM Energy [11] Financial Markets - In Asia, markets showed mixed results with Japan down 1%, Hong Kong down 1.7%, and India up 0.4% [12] - In Europe, midday trading showed slight gains in London and Paris, while Frankfurt was down 0.2% [12] - Futures indicate a slight increase for the Dow and flat performance for S&P and Nasdaq [12]