Apple supplier TSMC sends warning signal for the global economy

Munich The turnover of the chip company TSMC is expected to fall again in the current quarter for the first time in four years. The world’s largest contract manufacturer warned on Thursday that revenues could fall by up to five percent compared to the previous year.

This is an alarm signal for the global economy: TSMC is not only Apple’s most important chip supplier, but also supplies leading semiconductor companies such as AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia and Qualcomm. The large European chip groups Infineon, NXP and STMicroelectronics also buy components from the Taiwanese.

If you order less from TSMC, that means: Less electronics are produced worldwide.

Almost all leading semiconductor manufacturers are dependent on TSMC: “They have developed a system-relevant position,” says Peter Fintl, chip expert at the consulting firm Capgemini.