US Announces $5bl Commitment for Research, Development of Computer Chips

FILE - US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo speaks Dec. 11, 2023, during a visit to BAE Systems, in Nashua, N.H. The Biden administration on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, will announce the investment of $5 billion in a public-private consortium aimed at supporting research and development in advanced computer chips. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
FILE - US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo speaks Dec. 11, 2023, during a visit to BAE Systems, in Nashua, N.H. The Biden administration on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, will announce the investment of $5 billion in a public-private consortium aimed at supporting research and development in advanced computer chips. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
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US Announces $5bl Commitment for Research, Development of Computer Chips

FILE - US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo speaks Dec. 11, 2023, during a visit to BAE Systems, in Nashua, N.H. The Biden administration on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, will announce the investment of $5 billion in a public-private consortium aimed at supporting research and development in advanced computer chips. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
FILE - US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo speaks Dec. 11, 2023, during a visit to BAE Systems, in Nashua, N.H. The Biden administration on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, will announce the investment of $5 billion in a public-private consortium aimed at supporting research and development in advanced computer chips. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

The Biden administration on Friday announced the investment of $5 billion in a newly established public-private consortium aimed at supporting research and development in advanced computer chips.

The National Semiconductor Technology Center is being funded through the CHIPS and Science Act. That 2022 law aims to reinvigorate the computer chip sector within the United States through tens of billions of dollars in targeted government support.

Stakeholders in the chips industry gathered on the White House campus to discuss how the center should prioritize research and worker training for an industry poised to expand because of government backing. The coronavirus pandemic exposed the risk to the economy and national security of an overdependence on Taiwan for advanced chips, while the emergence of artificial intelligence is likely to push demand for newer and more innovative chips upward.

“This is an inflection point in the industry,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told the group. “Not just because we’re dangerously dependent on one country for so many of our chips, but because AI is going to lead to an explosion of demand for chips, for sophisticated chips, more energy-efficient chips, cost-effective chips.”

The center would help to fund the design and prototyping of new chips, in addition to training workers for the sector, according to The AP.

Companies say they need a skilled workforce in order to capitalize on the separate $39 billion being provided by the government to fund new and expanded computer chip plants. Raimondo said there will be “a drumbeat” of funding announcements for companies in the next six to 12 weeks.

The sector would likely increase rapidly in terms of its need for highly specialized workers. Labor Department data say that about 375,000 people are employed in the production of computer chips with an average income of $82,830.



Non-oil Private Sector Growth Boosts Saudi Arabia’s Economic Expansion

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
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Non-oil Private Sector Growth Boosts Saudi Arabia’s Economic Expansion

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector continued to witness steady improvements in operating conditions during May, mainly driven by an expansion in new business and a recovery in customer demand.

This strong performance underscores the resilience of Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy and its capacity to achieve sustainable growth.

The Riyad Bank Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose in May, reaching 55.8 points, indicating a strong improvement in business conditions, though still below the peak recorded earlier this year.

These positive figures reflect growing confidence in the sector’s future, with output expectations reaching an 18-month high, signaling operational readiness for continued growth in the second half of the year.

Key findings of the PMI show a notable acceleration in new order growth during May, following a slowdown in April. Companies attributed this increase to stronger demand, robust sales performance, and new marketing initiatives. New orders from abroad also grew, although at the slowest pace in the past seven months.

This positive momentum was mirrored in employment levels, as companies increased their workforce to meet rising production requirements, marking one of the fastest hiring rates in over a decade.

The workforce growth was accompanied by a surge in purchasing activity, which saw its fastest rise since March 2024, reflecting improved supply chain flexibility.

The Kingdom’s non-oil private sector is showing strong confidence in the future, with business expectations reaching their highest level since late 2023.

Business activity rose in May, driven by increased customer demand and production needs, although the overall rate of growth was the slowest since last September. The construction sector played a key role in this growth, recording the strongest increases in both activity and new business.

Despite this strong performance, non-oil firms faced a sharp rise in input costs during May. However, inflation slowed compared to April due to reduced wage pressures.

Conversely, selling prices declined in May, driven by a sharp drop in service sector prices, with companies citing competitive pressures impacting their pricing power.

Commenting on these results, Dr. Naif Al-Ghaith, Chief Economist at Riyad Bank, affirmed that Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy maintained its strong momentum in May.

He noted that improving demand, robust economic activity, the launch of new projects, and increased labor productivity all contributed to continued growth, despite the pace slowing to its lowest level since September 2024.