Ford announced plans to launch a midsize electric pickup truck with a starting price of $30,000 in 2027, aiming to compete with affordable Chinese EVs like BYD. The vehicle will be assembled at Ford's Louisville, Kentucky plant, which is receiving nearly $2 billion in investment to retain at least 2,200 jobs. The company is leveraging lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries from CATL to reduce costs and expects the new EV lineup to become profitable within a year. Despite past losses in its EV and software division—up to $5.5 billion in the previous year—Ford remains committed to affordable EVs, with its 'skunkworks' team led by Alan Clarke developing the vehicles independently. The automaker has delayed production of the next-gen F-150 Lightning and E-Transit to 2028, citing declining EV sales (down 12% in H1 2024) and rising hybrid demand (up 27%). Ford's strategy focuses on electrifying existing gas models rather than building a unified EV platform, contrasting with General Motors' full electrification of its lineup.

Beijing is intensifying pressure on Chinese companies to avoid using Nvidia's H20 processors in government or national security-related projects, despite recent US approval of limited H20 sales to China in exchange for a 15% revenue cut. The guidance, particularly strong for state-owned enterprises and sensitive contracts, aims to enhance security and promote domestic semiconductor development. Local chipmakers like Cambricon Technologies saw sharp share gains as investors anticipate accelerated adoption of domestic alternatives. While domestic AI chips are improving, they currently lack the versatility of the H20 for certain workloads, creating potential supply chain gaps. The move reflects a broader strategy toward self-sufficiency and may evolve into wider restrictions, impacting the US-China AI chip competition.

The U.S. stock market is entering a critical week as investors await the July Consumer Price Index (CPI) report and a looming U.S.–China tariff deadline. With the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq near record highs, driven by strong tech earnings and AI optimism, markets face risks from elevated valuations, inflation, and trade policy uncertainty. The July CPI data and the expiration of a 90-day tariff truce are expected to significantly influence market sentiment, potentially triggering volatility or a shift to a more cautious phase. Analysts warn that unexpected inflation or renewed trade tensions could undermine the current rally, especially given high valuations and persistent price pressures in tariff-affected goods.

Tesla has faced one of its largest legal setbacks in a Florida court case involving its Autopilot feature, where a jury ruled that the company is 33% responsible for a 2019 crash that killed Naibel Benavides and injured Dillon Angulo. The crash occurred when George McGee, driving a Tesla with Autopilot engaged, struck a vehicle outside a property in Key Largo. McGee claimed he was looking for a dropped cellphone and had his eyes off the road, while Tesla argued data showed he had his foot on the accelerator. Despite Tesla's claims, the jury found Tesla liable for 33% of the incident. This verdict marks a significant departure from Tesla's typical approach to Autopilot-related lawsuits, which have historically resulted in settlements. The plaintiffs, represented by attorney Brett Schreiber, rejected a settlement offer from Tesla, citing a gap between Tesla's marketing of Autopilot and its actual performance. Tesla is expected to appeal the decision, but Schreiber has celebrated the outcome, highlighting the perceived misrepresentation of the technology's capabilities.

Samsung Electronics is developing System-on-Panel (SoP) packaging technology, an advanced semiconductor packaging solution that integrates multiple semiconductors directly onto a large rectangular panel using fine copper redistribution layers. This technology enables larger modules than traditional PCB or silicon interposer methods, with Samsung's 415 × 510 mm panel capable of producing modules over 210 mm in size—such as two 240 × 240 mm modules simultaneously. SoP competes with TSMC’s System-on-Wafer (SoW) technology, which is limited by 300 mm wafer size to about 210 × 210 mm modules. TSMC is advancing with SoW-X, a wafer-scale system based on CoWoS technology expected for mass production in 2027, offering 40 times the computing power of current CoWoS solutions. The report suggests Samsung could gain a competitive edge in Tesla’s next-generation Dojo AI chip supply chain, where Tesla plans to use Samsung’s foundry for manufacturing and Intel for packaging via EMIB technology. Tesla intends to use advanced packaging to differentiate its AI semiconductors for autonomous driving, robotics, and data centers, increasing demand for ultra-large module solutions.