Chip stocks pop as U.S. eases China chip curbs

US-China Trade & Tech Policy - The Trump administration is showing a reversal of chip design software export restrictions to China, benefiting Cadence and Synopsis [1] - China will likely smooth the permit process for materials it recently restricted, including rare earth, in exchange for the US lifting chip software export curves [2][9][10] - The policy flip reinforces President Trump's pattern of using tech restrictions as negotiating leverage rather than permanent policy tools [5] Company Impact (Cadence & Synopsis) - Cadence's stock was up 5%, and Synopsis's stock was up almost 5% following the news [2] - Mazuo suggests Trump's chip software U-turn could restore 10% to 12% of total revenues for both Cadence and Synopsis that were at risk [2] - The move resolves restrictions on electronic design automation (EDA) tools that control 70% of China's chip design market [3] Implications for Other Tech Companies - Tougher export controls on advanced AI processors from Nvidia and AMD could face similar reversals as trade negotiations progress [4] - Nvidia's H20 AI chips designed specifically for the Chinese market to comply with prior export controls still remain restricted [5] - Huawei's advanced chips are quite impressive, more advanced than the H20s from Nvidia [13]