Taipei, Feb 8, 2026, 07:54 (GMT+8) — The market has closed.
- TSMC’s U.S. shares jumped 5.5% Friday. Over in Taiwan, though, the stock ended just slightly higher.
- Chip stocks bounced back, with investors turning their attention once again to Big Tech’s AI infrastructure spending.
- Up next: TSMC’s January sales numbers land Feb. 10.
U.S.-traded shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co surged 5.5% Friday, closing out the session at $348.85 as chip stocks rebounded late in the week. 1
The bounce is drawing attention, with the so-called “AI trade” swinging on investors’ concerns about whether huge capex will actually lead to profits. Chip stocks now serve as the main barometer for sentiment. The PHLX semiconductor index jumped 5.7% Friday, Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom all out front. “There’s enough evidence that there’s real demand for AI products … and a necessity of a lot of spending to get there,” said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird. 2
Capex is front and center here—think data centers, servers, all the hardware needed. Amazon is looking at $200 billion in capital spending for 2026, climbing from $131 billion the year before, according to Reuters. That projection has Wall Street zeroing in on the suppliers fueling this expansion. “The market just dislikes the substantial amount of money that keeps getting put into capex for these growth rates,” said Dave Wagner, portfolio manager at Aptus Capital Advisors. 3
TSMC shares (2330.TW) closed at NT$1,780 in Taipei Friday, rising 0.85%. Trading wound down as the weekend approached. 4
The Taiwan market sits out the weekend, leaving traders eyeing Monday to see if Friday’s U.S. chip rally has staying power—or if it fizzles as fresh positions emerge after the break.
Company news hasn’t faded from view. Earlier this week, TSMC CEO C.C. Wei announced plans to start mass-producing advanced 3-nanometre chips at its Kumamoto plant in southern Japan, marking a push to take its cutting-edge tech outside Taiwan. “We believe this fab will … form a foundation for Japan’s AI business,” Wei told reporters in Tokyo. 5
But here’s the caveat: chip stocks can just as quickly lose ground if Big Tech decides to cut spending after hearing from wary investors, or if doubts about AI returns resurface. The sector also remains highly sensitive to any risk-off move, thanks to its close link with AI investment sentiment.
TSMC’s next potential mover isn’t far off. Investors are eyeing the company’s January sales numbers, due out Feb. 10. That monthly figure tends to shape expectations for near-term demand and usually gets noticed. 6
