UMC Shares Surge 6% in Taipei on 8-Inch Wafer Price Hike Speculation
United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) shares rallied sharply in Taipei trading, climbing more than 6% over two sessions as investors bet on tightening 8-inch wafer supply and potential foundry price increases. The momentum reflects growing confidence that improved utilization at mature-node fabs could revive margins after a prolonged downturn.
All eyes are now on UMC's fourth-quarter earnings release scheduled for Jan. 28, which will clarify whether the demand recovery is sustainable or merely front-loaded. The rally coincides with broader sector optimism, including Micron's Taiwan expansion, reinforcing expectations of disciplined capacity management and pricing power in the semiconductor space.