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Investing.com -- Shares in European semiconductor companies rose on Thursday after TSMC, the largest contract chipmaker in the world, reported better-than-expected sales for the second quarter.
TSMC posted Q2 revenue of NT$933.8 billion (US$31.9 billion) on Thursday, surpassing expectations as demand for its chips continues to surge amid growing interest in AI.
The April–June sales figure represents a 38.6% increase from the NT$673.5 billion reported in the same period last year, according to Reuters calculations.
It also beat the LSEG SmartEstimate of NT$927.8 billion and came in above the company’s earlier forecast of US$28.4 billion to US$29.2 billion.
Shares in Dutch chipmakers ASML (AS:ASML) and ASM International (AS:ASMI) rose 1% and 0.6% by 08:00 GMT, respectively. BE Semiconductor Industries (AS:BESI) climbed 2%, while Switzerland’s VAT Group (SIX:VACN) added 1.7%.
TSMC, which counts Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) among its top clients, has been one of the main beneficiaries of the AI boom.
For the first six months of 2025, TSMC’s total revenue reached NT$1.77 trillion (US$60.8 billion), up 40% from a year ago.
Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said at a recent briefing that the company anticipates a record year, citing “very strong” AI-related demand.
TSMC is scheduled to release full second-quarter earnings and its latest outlook on July 17.
TSMC’s revenue surge in recent months came as customers moved to secure chip supplies ahead of potential U.S. tariffs. The rush to stockpile followed President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff push, which has raised concerns over further trade restrictions.
At a shareholder meeting in June, CEO C.C. Wei said the company’s performance “may be affected” if tariffs drive up costs and weigh on demand. However, he remained optimistic, adding, “Our business will still be very good.”
Taiwan’s government said Thursday it had not yet received formal notice from Washington regarding potential tariffs. Officials confirmed that negotiations are ongoing in the U.S. capital.