NIO launches flagship SUV ES9; META rolls out AI subscription | Daily News Recap

May 28 | Dolphin Research Key Focus

🐬 Stocks

1.$Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US)

Supply-chain checks indicate TSM will raise 3nm foundry pricing by up to 15% in 2H on surging AI compute demand and full utilization, with a further 5–10% hike possible in 2027. Current 3nm capacity is approx. 160–175k wafers per month and remains tight. AI has flipped supply/demand for advanced nodes, strengthening TSM's pricing power and lifting costs for clients such as Apple and Nvidia. This supports GPM, while pushing the ecosystem to accelerate in-house R&D or migrate to 2nm, intensifying global AI chip competition.

2.$TENCENT(00700.HK)

The annual Tencent Games conference spanned R&D, publishing, and investment, unveiling 45 updates including 10+ new titles such as 'Honor of Kings: World', an AI game-creation platform 'Codename Craft', and a cross-platform lighting solution NDGI. Global expansion and AI applications were the key highlights.

3.$NIO-SW(09866.HK)

Nio's flagship SUV ES9 launched with Executive Luxury, Signature, and Horizon Edition trims, priced at RMB 498k–628k, or RMB 390k–520k under BaaS. Deliveries start May 28, with 900V high-voltage architecture and rear-wheel steering standard across the lineup. ES9 rounds out Nio's premium portfolio, while BaaS lowers the entry ticket, supporting volume and GPM. The 900V stack boosts product competitiveness vs. Li Auto and Aito, intensifying the high-end pure EV SUV battle.

4.$Amazon(AMZN.US)

Snowflake announced a $6bn, five-year commitment to AWS to procure Graviton CPUs and AI GPUs, sending its shares up over 36% after-hours. The deal underscores AWS's in-house chip competitiveness, while ensuring Snowflake's compute to scale its AI data biz. AI compute demand stays red hot.

5.$Meta Platforms(META.US)

Meta launched the 'Meta One' subscription, bundling Facebook/Instagram Plus ($3.99/mo) and WhatsApp Plus ($2.99/mo), alongside AI plans at $7.99 and $19.99 tiers covering social, AI, and creator services. The move reduces reliance on ads and opens a second growth curve via subscriptions. AI subscriptions accelerate monetization, with nearly 4bn global users offering sizable pay potential.

6.$Alibaba(BABA.US)

Alibaba DAMO Academy released its self-developed 'MindOpt' GPU-based solver, dubbed the 'core of industrial software', targeting power dispatch, advanced manufacturing, and financial optimization. A new algorithm mitigates the long-tail effect, achieving stable high-precision convergence on 99%+ of approx. 2,000 general test cases. It delivers an Avg. 2.67x speed-up on large-scale problems and can handle LP problems with 100mn-level variables that traditional CPU solvers struggle with. GPU enablement fits AI and hyperscale compute needs, benefiting Alibaba Cloud's ecosystem and public/enterprise clients by lowering cost and improving efficiency, reinforcing Alibaba's moat in enterprise services and compute.

Dolphin Research earnings and calls to watch

PDD: 'PDD: Old and arrogant, now everyone dislikes it' and 'PDD (Trans): A new decade, 'New Pinduoduo' rebuilt'

Marvell: 'Marvell: In the AI inference era, is connectivity more valuable than compute?' and 'Marvell (Trans): FY2028 $16.5bn guide could keep moving up'

XPeng and Li Auto to report.

🐬 Top Gainers by Sector

A-share: Precious metals & minerals, multi-utilities, communications equipment;

HK: System software, communications equipment, consumer finance;

US: Motorcycle mfrs, forest products, building materials.

🐬 Watchlist for Tomorrow

1. Dell and Costco to report earnings.

Risk disclosure and disclaimer: Dolphin Research Disclaimer and General Disclosure