U.S. stock futures rose on Wednesday following a mixed Tuesday session where the Nasdaq advanced led by tech stocks while the Dow ended lower. Key movers include United Microelectronics jumping 11.24% after acquiring manufacturing equipment, Braiin tumbling 13.45% after a 74% surge, Box declining 2.42% despite beating earnings expectations, and Zscaler falling after missing revenue guidance. The 10-year Treasury yield stands at 4.46%, with markets pricing a 99.9% likelihood of unchanged Fed rates in June.

Forge Nano opened a Taiwan engineering and service office to support advanced photonics manufacturing for AI data centers. The company's ALDx technology demonstrates 23% reduction in insertion loss and 240-hour reliability. Forge Nano established partnerships with LeadinWay for field support and Manz Taiwan for manufacturing, along with supply chain localization initiatives across Asia.

Adeia Inc. announced an expanded and renewed intellectual property licensing agreement with United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC). The partnership provides UMC continued access to Adeia's semiconductor portfolio, including hybrid bonding and 3D integration technologies, to support growing demand for chiplet architectures driven by AI and other applications.

Ten large-cap stocks were top performers last week, led by precious metals and semiconductor companies. Hecla Mining gained 29.31% amid geopolitical tensions and weakening US dollar, while First Majestic Silver rose 26.57%. Moderna jumped 17.44% following positive cancer vaccine trial data. Micron Technology gained 13.21% after analyst coverage initiation. Other gainers included Venture Global (21.6%), New Gold (24.03%), Coeur Mining (23.13%), Korea Electric Power (15.29%), and United Microelectronics (13.82%).

United Microelectronics signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Polar Semiconductor to explore collaboration on 8-inch wafer production in the U.S., aiming to enhance domestic semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain resilience.

Photronics reported Q3 2025 revenue of $210.4 million, exceeding expectations. Flat Panel Display revenue increased 14%, offsetting a 5% decline in Integrated Circuit revenue. The company maintained profitability but faced challenges in semiconductor segment.

Despite a historically expensive market, three tech stocks offer value investment opportunities: Verizon, Qualcomm, and United Microelectronics. Each company presents unique growth potential and attractive dividend yields in different technology sectors.

Multibeam Corp. raised $31 million in Series B funding led by Onto Innovation and Lam Capital to accelerate development of advanced E-Beam Lithography production solutions for semiconductor technologies, particularly targeting AI and advanced packaging applications.

GlobalFoundries is considering a potential merger with Taiwanese chipmaker United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) to create a U.S.-focused semiconductor giant and challenge Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) in the U.S. market.

Taiwan's leading chip manufacturers, including TSMC, Winbond, and UMC, are set to begin domestic production of neon gas by 2025 to secure a stable supply of this key chipmaking material, which was previously disrupted by the Ukraine war.

Taiwan stocks, including TSMC, UMC, and ASE Technology, traded lower in the U.S. pre-market following the announcement of U.S. President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race. The Taiex index also plummeted, raising concerns about the impact on Taiwan's chip industry and the country's stock market.

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