Shares in Chinese suppliers of materials for semiconductors surged after unsubstantiated reports of impending Japanese export curbs circulated on social media.
$Shenzhen Rongda Photosensitive & Technology (300576.SZ)$, supplier of compounds known as photoresists that are essential in chipmaking, soared 20%. That leap, which follows a 20% gain Wed, came after several posts on WeChat, which Bloomberg has not verified independently, that an unnamed Japanese company had cut off supplies of the compound.
The report comes as US allies including the Netherlands agreed to join the US in restricting the export of advanced chipmaking gear to China, part of Washington's broader plan to contain a semiconductor sector it's accused of aiding the military.
China is funnelling billions of capital into the chip industry as nation states compete to build up domestic semiconductor production. Veteran emerging-markets investor Mark Mobius said on Thu he is betting big on semiconductor shares that could benefit from that investment.
bullrider_21 OP : China wants to be self- reliant in chip production.