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Trump's Chip Tariff Exemption Fuels Tech Stock Rally
7 Aug
Summary
- Trump exempts U.S. chip manufacturers from 100% tariffs
- Apple to invest $100B in U.S., avoiding potential iPhone tariffs
- Chipmakers like AMD, Intel, and Nvidia see stock gains

On August 7th, 2025, global technology stocks experienced a rally after President Donald Trump announced that his administration would largely exempt the semiconductor industry from a proposed 100% tariff on chips and semiconductors.
Trump stated that the new tariff rate would not apply to companies that had already committed to or were in the process of manufacturing in the United States. This move provided relief for industry heavyweights, with Apple's stock rising 3.3% in premarket trading after the company announced an additional $100 billion investment in the U.S.
U.S.-based chipmakers such as Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, and Nvidia also saw their shares climb, with gains ranging from 1.1% to 2.5%. European chipmakers, including ASML, ASMI, and BE Semiconductor Industries, joined the rally, rising around 3% each.
The exemption seemingly rules out Taiwanese chip contract manufacturer TSMC, which makes chips for many U.S. companies but has factories located in the U.S. However, UBS analysts noted that the "market remains keen to buy TSMC on dips" and that investors believe they need to remain positioned in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, with or without tariffs.
South Korea's Samsung and SK Hynix, which have invested in chip plants in the U.S., will also not be subjected to the 100% tariff. The move is seen as part of Trump's ongoing efforts to reshape the semiconductor supply chain and spur domestic production.