Helium shortages cloud tech prospectsHelium shortages and higher electricity tariffs driven by the US-Iran war, along with the US tariffs, are still weighing on the technology sector.
Global sales reached a historic US$82.5bil in January 2026, representing a robust 3.7% increase month-on-month and a staggering 46.1% y-o-y increase.
Growth remains heavily tilted toward the Asia Pacific (increase by 82.4% y-o-y) and China (increase by 47% y-o-y), while Japan continues to lag (down by 6.2% y-o-y).
Memory prices have risen, but not to the extent that it severely impacts end-demand.
Thanks to diversified sourcing from the United States and Canada, alongside robust gas recycling systems at major fabs, supply remains sufficient to sustain operations.
BIMB Securities maintained a “neutral outlook” on the sector for 2H26 and prefers asset-light intellectual property providers (such as SkyeChip) and high-end OSAT/ATE players with significant AI integration (like Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd and Vitrox Corp Bhd), as their market position grants them the pricing power necessary to offset rising indirect costs.
Source: The Star
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/bus ... -prospects
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