GlobalFoundries exploring possibility of UMC merger, Nikkei says

U.S. contract chipmaker GlobalFoundries (GFS) and United Microelectronics (UMC), Taiwan’s number two chipmaker, are exploring the possibility of a merger amid American efforts to mitigate risks surrounding the Taiwan Strait and fend off growing competition from China in mature chips, Nikkei Asia reported. In an assessment plan seen by Nikkei Asia, a tie-up of GlobalFoundries-UMC would create a bigger, U.S.-based company with a production footprint across Asia, the U.S. and Europe, reported Cheng Ting-Fang for the publication.