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On June 22, Micron Technology President and COO Chris Koopmans revealed that the company has begun discussions with TSMC to incorporate the latest A14 advanced process in its future flagship products. According to TSMC's plans, the A14 is a new generation logic process following N2, expected to enter mass production in 2028. Compared to N2, the A14 can improve performance by 10% to 15% at the same power consumption, or reduce energy consumption by 25% to 30% at the same speed, while increasing logic density by over 20%. It is seen as a key technology for driving AI and high-performance computing. Koopmans emphasized that energy efficiency is everything for Micron's core products, such as digital signal processors (DSPs). He stated that even a difference of 0.1 watts is crucial and that this is the core motivation driving the company to continuously pursue the most advanced processes.

The US Economic Surprise Index has risen to 63.2, reaching its highest level since August 2023. (Cointelegraph)

On June 22, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated the government's regular stance on coordinating with the central bank, suggesting she has accepted the Bank of Japan's recent decision to raise interest rates. Takaichi stated on Monday, 'We expect close cooperation between the Bank of Japan and the government to implement appropriate monetary policy based on developments in the economy, prices, and financial conditions, in order to sustainably achieve the 2% price stability target.' As a supporter of loose monetary policy, Takaichi made these remarks following the BOJ's rate hike last week. Recent data showed that Japan's national consumer price index rose by 1.4% in May, partly due to government subsidies that suppressed energy costs. Takaichi's government has also prepared an additional budget to continue alleviating the impact of the Middle East crisis on household spending in the coming months. Nevertheless, the BOJ expects that high energy prices resulting from the Middle East conflict will continue to exert significant upward pressure on inflation. This has raised economists' expectations for another rate hike by the BOJ within the year, potentially as early as September.