Semiconductor Push: Samsung and SK Hynix plan a combined $518B chipmaking hub in South Korea’s southwest to meet AI-driven demand, reshaping regional manufacturing. AI Hardware Rivalry: Nvidia’s AI chip sales in China face headwinds as Huawei and other local players gain ground amid US export controls. Antitrust Clash: Apple escalated its fight with India’s Competition Commission, accusing investigators of “copy-pasting” rivals’ claims in an iOS App Store case. Energy Storage Deal: Pace Digitek’s Lineage Power signed a master supply agreement for 3 GWh of LFP battery cells from China’s Rongjie Energy, aiming to strengthen BESS production and logistics. Battery Supply Chain: CXMT reportedly locked in a long-term DRAM supply deal with Tencent ahead of its IPO, underscoring China’s push to secure server-memory demand. Maritime Tensions: Chinese coast guard ships escorted a research vessel near areas overlapping Japan and Philippines EEZs, as Manila-Washington drills continued near Scarborough Shoal. Regional Markets: MUFG flagged the Philippine peso’s weakness as tied to a structural current account deficit and reliance on external financing. Cooling Demand: With Europe in a heatwave, Chinese-made air conditioners are surging, adding fuel to China-EU trade friction debates. Life Sciences M&A: Merck agreed to acquire Bio-Techne to expand end-to-end life sciences workflows from research to manufacturing. Medical Procurement Watch: China’s bulk drug procurement crackdown continues, with regulators disqualifying firms over serious quality and production-control defects.