ASML Raises 2026 Forecast on Unrelenting AI Demand

Dutch chip equipment supplier ASML raised its full-year sales guidance for a second time in 2026, fueled by unrelenting AI demand for advanced semiconductors.

The bullish forecast triggered a sharp rally in South Korean chip stocks and underscored the sector's widening power.

The company expects net sales to grow to between €43 billion and €45 billion this year and plans to expand production capacity of its most advanced lithography machines.

The results beat expectations across both top and bottom lines, with second-quarter net sales surging 21% year-on-year to €9.33 billion.