TSMC shocks market with break-even claim

[PBS Poll-435]

TSMC shocks market with break-even claim

Last minute Chinese save

By Rik Myslewski in San Francisco
The Register
Posted in PCs & Chips, 10th March 2009 21:26 GMT

The world's largest chipmaker and a close partner with Intel and AMD had some shocking news for industry-watchers on Tuesday: business in the first quarter of 2009 will be better than they had originally estimated.

According to a report on the Taiwanese trade website DigiTimes, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) might even accomplish what it previously thought impossible during in the depths of the Meltdown: break even.

According to DigiTimes, TSMC now estimates that its Q1 profit margin will be between -2 and 0 per cent. Back in January, it had feared it would be between -19 and -15 per cent.

This improving health must make the planners at AMD and Intel breathe a bit easier. AMD relies upon TSMC, for example, to build its new 40nm ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830 and 4860 graphics chips. These little guys are designed for energy-efficient laptops - one of the only product categories not in the crapper these days.

[Pirate Smile]

1. More good news.

I'm all for that.

[PBS Poll-435]

2. You and me both

TSMC makes chips designed and sold by many US companies.

Intel, AMD/ATI, Qualcomm, Altera, Conexant Systems, and many others.

[PBS Poll-435]

3. Good news kick!

:kick: