KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia gave up earlier gains to end mixed today, amid a higher regional market showing, as property, construction, and healthcare counters attracted buying interests, while plantation, banking, and telecommunication stocks saw some profit-taking, an analyst said. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 1.70 points to close at 1,602.34 from yesterday’s close of 1,604.04. The benchmark index, which opened 0.86 of-a-point lower at 1,603.18, moved between 1,601.02 and 1,608.88 during the trading session. However, the broader market was mixed to higher, with gainers leading decliners by 565 to 438 while 502 counters remained unchanged, 961 untraded, and 14 suspended. Turnover narrowed to 2.83 billion units valued at RM2.08 billion versus 2.96 billion units valued at RM2.23 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the benchmark index remained range-bound and it required a dec
Beijing is intensifying its push for Chinese companies to prioritize locally produced AI chips over Nvidia Corp's products, as part of an ongoing effort to bolster the country's semiconductor industry and reduce reliance on foreign technology amid US sanctions.
Chinese regulators have been quietly guiding firms away from purchasing Nvidia’s H20 chips, widely used in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) models. While not an outright ban, this strategy aims to help domestic AI chipmakers like Cambricon Technologies Corp and Huawei Technologies Co gain market share, while also preparing local companies for potential additional US restrictions, according to people familiar with the matter.
The move comes after the US government banned Nvidia from selling its most advanced AI processors to China in 2022, prompting Nvidia to modify its chips to comply with US export regulations. Despite this, Nvidia’s shares fell by 3.9% on Friday following the news of China's guidance.
Chinese regulators, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, have issued informal instructions—known as window guidance—to encourage companies to source from local vendors like Huawei and Cambricon. However, China’s officials are also prioritizing technological advancement, and if companies need to buy foreign semiconductors to build superior AI systems, they will still tolerate such purchases.
Nvidia has seen substantial sales growth globally, especially in the AI space, despite trade restrictions impacting its revenue from China, which accounted for 12% of its revenue in the July quarter—around US$3.7 billion. The company’s CEO, Jensen Huang, emphasized his commitment to serving Chinese customers while complying with US government restrictions, saying, “We will do our best to support them.”
Meanwhile, China's AI sector continues to grow, with major players like ByteDance and Alibaba heavily investing, and several startups developing AI models to rival international competitors. Despite government pressure, some Chinese companies are still rushing to stockpile Nvidia chips ahead of anticipated US sanctions, while also procuring Huawei chips to align with Beijing’s goals.
The competition between Nvidia and Chinese chipmakers highlights the broader global AI race and the technological divide deepening due to geopolitical tensions.
Comments
Post a Comment