Taipei, Jan 18, 2026, 23:02 (GMT+8) — Market closed.
- Reports say TSMC is eyeing four more advanced chip-packaging plants in Taiwan, though the company has declined to comment.
- Taiwan-listed shares wrapped up at NT$1,740; on Friday, U.S.-listed TSM closed at $342.40
- Investors await a company update next week and the monthly sales report due Feb. 10
Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) are set to draw attention when trading restarts in Taiwan on Monday, following a local media report that the chip giant intends to build four new advanced chip-packaging facilities on the island. The company has declined to comment on the plan. (Taipei Times)
The report is crucial since “advanced packaging” — the process that links chips and frequently stacks them to speed up data flow — has emerged as a bottleneck in the supply chain for high-end processors powering artificial intelligence servers.
Adding packaging capacity allows customers to shift from design wins to full-scale shipments. It may also accelerate spending just as investors grapple with how much new capacity the market can handle without hurting margins.
TSMC announced plans for capital spending between $52 billion and $56 billion this year, allocating 10% to 20% toward high-end assembly and testing, among other investments, as it continues expanding its advanced manufacturing and packaging capabilities. The company also kicked off mass production of its 2-nanometer process in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung during the fourth quarter, according to Focus Taiwan. (Focus Taiwan – CNA English News)
TSMC’s common shares climbed 2.96% to close at NT$1,740 on Friday, boosting Taiwan’s benchmark index by 1.94% to a record high, according to the Taipei Times. Alex Huang, an analyst at Mega International Investment Services, said the data “simply told investors AI demand is robust.” He also noted that a U.S.-Taiwan trade deal reducing tariffs from 20% to 15% helped ease concerns. In New York, TSMC’s U.S.-listed shares finished Friday at $342.40, up 0.22%. U.S. markets will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Taipei Times)
The weekend report stated that TSMC plans to construct two packaging plants in Chiayi Science Park and another two in Southern Taiwan Science Park this year. A senior executive is set to detail the investment next week.
TSMC’s “no comment” keeps the door open for a possible retreat. The report relies on unnamed supply-chain sources, and any new sites would still require timelines, staffing, and equipment orders before producing actual output.
Another question is whether the broader chip cycle remains favorable. If end demand slows or customers push back ramp-ups, investors might quickly see hefty packaging and fab expansions as overcapacity instead of competitive advantage, which could sour sentiment swiftly.
Traders will zero in on Taiwan’s market open on Jan. 19 to see if the report sparks any momentum. After that, all eyes turn to TSMC’s January 2026 monthly sales report, due Feb. 10. (TSMC)
