Insight - A new normal is dividing the global chip industry

Inventory days, a measure of how long it takes to sell and replace stockpiles, have never been higher at dedicated chip foundries Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), United Microelectronics Corp and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC).

SEMICONDUCTOR stockpiles are at a record high and a global economic downturn is unlikely to change that picture.

But an increasingly tense geopolitical environment and continued supply chain friction is dividing the largest from other semiconductor manufacturers, which could impact how well they survive.