Published: November 7, 2025
Ticker: NYSE: TSM
Key Takeaways Before the Bell
- Pre‑market: TSM is indicated modestly higher ahead of the U.S. open; as of 6:00 a.m. ET, pre‑market trades were $289.78, up 0.19% from Thursday’s close of $289.24. Extended‑hours levels can change quickly as liquidity builds toward the opening print. [1]
- Customer check‑in:Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is in Taiwan today, saying there are “no active discussions” to sell Blackwell AI chips to China and confirming a short visit to meet with long‑time partner TSMC and attend the company’s sports day. [2]
- Macro tailwind:Taiwan’s October exports jumped 49.7% year over year to a record $61.8B, the fastest growth in nearly 16 years, driven by AI‑related semiconductor demand—an industry backdrop that favors TSMC’s order book. [3]
- Pricing chatter: Multiple outlets report TSMC has begun alerting clients to 8–10% price increases on sub‑5nm wafers starting in 2026. These reports have not been confirmed by TSMC and are based on secondary sourcing; investors should treat them as unverified. [4]
- Local tape:Taiwan equities finished lower Friday, but TSMC shares proved relatively resilient on the Taipei exchange, cushioning the broader market’s decline. [5]
What’s Moving TSMC Today
1) Nvidia’s Huang on the ground in Taiwan; China sales stance unchanged
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang landed in Taiwan and told reporters there are no active talks to sell the company’s Blackwell AI chips in China, reiterating the export‑control overhang. He added that he is in Taiwan to visit TSMC and take part in the company’s sports day, underscoring the foundry’s central role in Nvidia’s AI roadmap. [6]
Local media tracked Huang’s schedule to TSMC’s 3‑nm plant in Tainan today and to TSMC’s annual sports day this weekend, highlighting the high‑profile nature of the visit and the strength of the TSMC–Nvidia partnership. [7]
Why it matters for TSM: Nvidia remains one of TSMC’s most important high‑performance‑compute customers, and management face‑time tends to coincide with capacity, packaging, or roadmap coordination—all supportive for utilization at leading nodes and advanced packaging lines.
2) Macro backdrop: Taiwan’s exports rocket on AI chip demand
Taiwan’s October exports surged 49.7% y/y to $61.8B, a record, with officials explicitly pointing to semiconductors and AI‑related electronics as key drivers. Notably, most Taiwanese goods face a 20% U.S. tariff, but semiconductors are excluded, while shipments to the U.S. rose 144.3% y/y. [8]
Why it matters for TSM: As Taiwan’s flagship chip exporter, TSMC rides the same demand wave—particularly in AI accelerators, HPC, and smartphone SoCs—supporting revenue visibility into year‑end and into 2026.
3) Pricing chatter for 2026: reports flag 8–10% increases on advanced nodes
Industry trackers and tech media report that TSMC has begun notifying clients (including Apple) of planned 8–10% price hikes on sub‑5nm processes from 2026, citing a Korean social post amplified by Western outlets. These pieces also speculate that 2‑nm chips could carry meaningfully higher unit costs than 3‑nm. TSMC has not issued a confirmation, and the sourcing is indirect, so treat as unconfirmed market chatter heading into today’s session. [9]
Why it matters for TSM: If realized, wafer price increases would reflect elevated capital intensity (2‑nm/advanced packaging) and tight leading‑edge supply. That dynamic can support gross margins but may also pressure downstream device makers’ BOMs. For TSM investors, the read‑through is pricing power—but confirmation and customer reactions remain key.
4) Local market tone: TSMC steadied the Taiex
Taiwan stocks closed lower Friday on AI‑valuation nerves and U.S. tech softness. Even so, TSMC’s relative resilience limited broader downside, per dealers quoted by Taiwan’s state newswire. The signal: domestic investors continue to treat TSMC as the market’s AI anchor. [10]
Pre‑Market Snapshot (U.S.)
- Price (6:00 a.m. ET):$289.78, +0.19% vs. prior close.
Note: Pre‑market quotes are indicative and can diverge from the opening trade as liquidity builds. [11] - Last close (Nov 6):$289.24. [12]
Company Update Worth Noting
- TSMC blog highlights push for energy‑efficient AI: A new corporate post today details cross‑ecosystem work on backside power delivery, 3DFabric® advanced packaging, and co‑packaged optics, all aimed at boosting performance per watt for AI systems. It’s a timely reminder that packaging capacity and power efficiency remain critical bottlenecks—and areas where TSMC is investing heavily. [13]
What to Watch at the Open
- TSM Tape vs. Peers: With Nvidia in Taiwan and China sales off the table for Blackwell (for now), watch TSM vs. NVDA/AMD/ASML for AI‑supply‑chain sympathy moves. [14]
- Follow‑ups on Pricing Reports: Any sell‑side notes or client commentary corroborating (or disputing) the 2026 price‑hike chatter could sway sentiment on margin trajectory and 2026 revenue quality. [15]
- Macro Reads: The Taiwan export print reinforces AI demand—watch for analysts rolling that into TSMC top‑line models and for any mentions of tariff exemptions supporting U.S. shipments. [16]
Bottom Line for TSM Holders
Heading into the U.S. open on Friday, Nov 7, the news flow skews constructive: Nvidia’s CEO is on site with TSMC; macro demand signals from Taiwan exports are red‑hot; and unconfirmed reports of 2026 pricing power underscore the industry’s tightness at the leading edge. The pre‑market is firmer, but as always, the opening auction will set the real tone.
Sources & Further Reading
- Taiwan exports smash records on AI demand (semiconductors excluded from U.S. tariff list; +49.7% y/y; U.S. shipments +144.3%): Reuters. [17]
- Nvidia’s Jensen Huang in Taiwan; no active Blackwell‑to‑China talks; visiting TSMC & sports day: Reuters. [18]
- Huang’s TSMC plant visit & sports day schedule: Taiwan News; DIGITIMES Asia. [19]
- Pre‑market price snapshot (6:00 a.m. ET): Public.com. [20]
- Taipei market close; TSMC resilient: FocusTaiwan (CNA). [21]
- 2026 advanced‑node price‑hike reports (unconfirmed): TrendForce; MacRumors; Wccftech. [22]
- TSMC blog on energy‑efficient AI & packaging advances: TSMC. [23]
Disclosure: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research.
References
1. public.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. www.trendforce.com, 5. focustaiwan.tw, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.taiwannews.com.tw, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.trendforce.com, 10. focustaiwan.tw, 11. public.com, 12. public.com, 13. www.tsmc.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.trendforce.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.taiwannews.com.tw, 20. public.com, 21. focustaiwan.tw, 22. www.trendforce.com, 23. www.tsmc.com
