Shares of ASML and its peers in the European computer chip equipment sector surged on Thursday following a Bloomberg report that looming U.S. restrictions on the Chinese semiconductor industry may be less severe than expected.
According to the report, citing unnamed sources, major Chinese memory chip manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc will not be added to U.S. trade restrictions lists. The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to issue new guidance on U.S. restrictions on China exports after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Shares of ASML, the largest supplier of semiconductor-making equipment, rose 4.3% by 0809 GMT, while Dutch rivals BE Semiconductor and ASM International rose 5% and 2.9%, respectively, among top performers on the European benchmark index.
ASML declined to comment, having previously predicted that sales of its tools to China will drop to 20% of total sales in 2025 from nearly 50% over the previous six quarters. Other top computer equipment suppliers include U.S. companies Applied Materials, KLA Corp, and Tokyo Electron.
