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The price surge triggered by AI is spreading across the component industry chain. Following the sharp rise in memory chip prices, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) have become the next key component to experience price increases. It is reported that spot prices for MLCCs in South Korea have risen by nearly 20%, and the industry expects the upward trend to continue in the short term. The capital market has responded positively. Since the beginning of this year, South Korea's Samsung Electro-Mechanics, a leading company in the MLCC industry, has seen significant gains, while related A-share stocks such as Fenghua Advanced Technology and Sanhuan Group have also risen in sync. The industry widely anticipates that the MLCC sector will show a differentiated pattern in 2026: high-end products are expected to see a surge in demand driven by the AI boom, while low and mid-end products will face pressures from weak demand and rising costs. Domestic enterprises have already established advantages in the low and mid-end markets and are currently accelerating their efforts to break into the high-end market.

According to the Financial Times, former President Trump is expected to exempt companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft from impending tariffs on chips, as these companies are racing to build data centers that power the AI boom. Informed sources reveal that the US Department of Commerce plans to provide tariff exemptions for US hyperscale data center operators, which will be linked to TSMC's investment commitments. This exemption plan highlights President Trump's determination to impose tariffs on chips and incentivize domestic chip manufacturing in the US, while also offering some relief to companies heavily reliant on imported semiconductors that drive the rapid development of American artificial intelligence. A government official familiar with the plans cautiously stated that these plans are still subject to change and have not yet been signed by the President.

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