Arizona State University's Partnership With TSMC Deepens -- April 5, 2026

Locator: 50438TSMC.

Too many story lines here -- just broke over the weekend.

Link here. 

A reader sent this link / story to me. Thank you very much. I will come back to this. Many dots to connect. 

Once this war is over and its after-effects are ameliorated, the market is going to take off, and the Mag 7 are going to lead the pack. It may be six months from now; it may be a year from now. 

**********************************
Disclaimer
Briefly

Briefly: 

I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.

I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.

I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 

See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.

If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 

Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.

I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 

And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.

I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom.

Longer version here.   

WTI Continues To Surge -- Pre-Market -- Sunday Night -- First Look -- Trump Locked And Loaded -- April 5, 2026

Locator: 50437WTI.
Locator: 50437EPICFURY.

5:16 p.m. CT, Sunday night, April 5, 2026 -- Trump deadline ends tomorrow. 

These deadlines are nice because "we" at least have end-dates: regardless of what happens tomorrow, we will at least get a presidential update. Under former presidents, it was a never-ending kicking the can down the road, with or without a speech.

Apple Manufacturing Program -- An Update -- New Partners: Bosch, Cirrus Logic, TDK, Qnity -- April 5, 2026

Locator: 50436APPLE.
Locator: 48988APPLE.

Apple is tracked here.  Apple Manufacturing Program Updated.

Apple's Manufacturing Academy Spring Forum, April 30 - May 1, 2026, Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. This is huge. 

At the time the Apple Manufacturing Program was announced last August, 2025, it was a huge, huge event. and never really got the coverage it deserved by the mainstream media. See the original post in its entirety below the flow.  

On March 26, 2026, six months later, Apple provided an update. Link here. Again in its entirety:

Apple today announced new members of its American Manufacturing Program (AMP), expanding the company’s long-standing commitment to bring even more advanced manufacturing and critical component production to the United States. 

Apple is working with Bosch, Cirrus Logic, TDK, and Qnity Electronics to manufacture essential materials and components in the U.S. for Apple products sold around the world, creating jobs and strengthening America’s manufacturing capabilities. Apple is planning to spend $400 million for these new programs through 2030. 

“At Apple, we believe in the power of American innovation and manufacturing, and we’re proud to partner with even more companies to produce critical components and cutting-edge materials for our products right here in the U.S.,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. 

“Today, we’re joining with world-class partners like Bosch, Cirrus Logic, TDK, and Qnity Electronics to further expand Apple’s U.S. supply chain through our American Manufacturing Program. This is another powerful example of what is possible when we invest in American ingenuity, and we’re excited to build the future together.” 

Today’s expansion accelerates the momentum of AMP, a key part of Apple’s $600 billion, four-year commitment to U.S. manufacturing and innovation. The program’s initial partners, including Amkor, Applied Materials, Broadcom, Coherent, Corning, GlobalFoundries, GlobalWafers America, MP Materials, Samsung, and Texas Instruments, are already achieving major milestones to expand advanced manufacturing in America and strengthen Apple’s domestic supply chain. 

Longtime Apple supplier TDK will manufacture sensors for Apple in the U.S. for the very first time. The two companies have collaborated for over 30 years on various technologies, including advanced tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors that support key iPhone features like camera stabilization. TDK’s U.S. facility will supply TMR sensors in devices shipped all over the world, and will increase the volume of chips that Apple will source from U.S. silicon supply chains. 

Apple, Bosch, and TSMC will work together to produce integrated circuits (ICs) for Bosch’s new sensing hardware at TSMC Washington in Camas, Washington. These ICs are essential for features like Crash Detection, Activity tracking, and elevation in Apple products. 

Apple is also working with Cirrus Logic and GlobalFoundries to establish new semiconductor process technologies at GlobalFoundries’ facility in Malta, New York. 

GlobalFoundries’ newest silicon process will be available in the U.S. for the first time to enable key technologies for Apple products. This collaboration enables Cirrus Logic to develop mixed-signal solutions for a number of Apple applications, including advanced ICs to power Face ID systems. 

Qnity Electronics and HD MicroSystems will provide cutting-edge materials and technologies essential for semiconductor manufacturing and advanced electronics. This collaboration will pioneer innovations for high-performance computing and AI, bolstering the domestic production of critical components and strengthening America’s leadership in advanced technology. 

Apple’s commitment to supporting American jobs and manufacturing includes the Apple Manufacturing Academy, launched last fall in Detroit to provide small- and medium-sized manufacturers hands-on training in AI, automation, and smart manufacturing. The academy has already supported nearly 150 businesses through dozens of free in-person training sessions and virtual programming. 

The academy will host its first Spring Forum from April 30 to May 1 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, bringing together students, educators, industry leaders, and businesses of all sizes for immersive conversations around how AI is transforming the industry. 

To learn more about the Apple Manufacturing Academy or to register to attend the upcoming Spring Forum, visit Michigan State University / Apple Manufacturing Company.

AI prompt: I thought Cirrus Logic was already an Apple partner. Is this something new? What gives?

Gemini response:

************************
Original Post

Locator: 48988APPLE.

In all the clutter of news the past two weeks, it's easy to forget this, the American Manufacturing Program, or better framed, Apple's American Manufacturing Program:

• link here; and,
• link here to AP.

From August 6, 2025, Trump announces Apple investing another $100 billion in US manufacturing.

Apple CEO Tim Cook joined President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to announce a commitment by the tech company to increase its investment in U.S. manufacturing by an additional $100 billion over the next four years.

“This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States of America also are made in America,” Trump said at the press conference. “Today’s announcement is one of the largest commitments in what has become among the greatest investment booms in our nation’s history.”

As part of the Apple announcement, the investments will be about bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States as part of an initiative called the American Manufacturing Program, but it is not a full commitment to build its popular iPhone device domestically.

This is a big deal.

Look with whom Apple has partnered. This is truly unprecedented. Think of the "force-multiplication" that is going on. 

Apple with a dozen primary partners -- entry fee: $250 billion market cap. 

Each of the dozen primary partners, another dozen secondary partners for each of the primary -- entry fee: $500 million market cap. 

12 x 12 = 144.

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Apple's American Manufacturing Program

Apple's American Manufacturing Program (AMP) includes initial partners such as Corning for cover glass, Coherent for VCSEL lasers, MP Materials for rare earth magnets, and semiconductor companies Texas Instruments, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, and GlobalWafers America, with plans to manufacture an end-to-end silicon supply chain in the U.S. by bringing new technology to the U.S. first.

Here are some of the specific partners and their roles in Apple's American Manufacturing Program:

For Physical Components

Corning:

A partner in manufacturing cover glass for all iPhone and Apple Watch devices in Kentucky, and will also establish a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center in the state.

Coherent:

• A long-standing partner that produces VCSEL lasers for features like Face ID and other components, with operations in Sherman, Texas.

MP Materials (this draws Apple to the table shared with DOD and Palantir):

• Apple has committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets from MP Materials, and the two companies will expand the Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas, and establish a rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California.

For Silicon Manufacturing

Texas Instruments:

• Expanding its partnership to support additional tool installations at its Utah facility and a new facility in Sherman, Texas.

Samsung:

• Collaborating to launch an innovative new chip-making technology in Austin, Texas, to optimize chip performance for Apple products.

GlobalFoundries:

• Partnering to bring new semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and technology to its facility in Malta, New York.

Amkor:

• Apple is the first and largest customer for Amkor's new advanced chip packaging and test facility in Arizona.

GlobalWafers America:

• Plans to manufacture advanced bare wafers in the U.S. for the first time, using silicon from Corning. See link here. See also the Apple-Corning (GLW) relationship.
  

These partnerships aim to bring a complete silicon supply chain to America, from design to packaging.

It goes without saying, a primary partner is also: TSMC. 

Also:

• Broadcom.

These are the initial partners.

Additional partners that will be needed (not solely manufacturing):

• 5G
• satellite
• AI

**********************************
Disclaimer
Briefly

Briefly: 

I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.

I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.

I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 

See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.

If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 

Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.

I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 

And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.

I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom.

Longer version here.   

It's A Rout -- Women's Basketball -- NCAA -- National Championship -- It's Over -- 79 - 51 -- UCLA Over South Carolina -- April 5, 2026

Locator: 50435SPORTS.

First time since 1978 -- UCLA back on top!!!! 

They lost only one game this season to Texas. Avenged that loss by beating Texas in March Madness! 

This didn't age well. From The New York Times, link here.

Whatever baskets are made now, whatever the final score is, it doesn't matter. We'll soon see the benchwarmers playing the final few minutes.

Will the South Carolina coach have more "class" than UConn's coach after losing? 

On Saving And Wealth -- Generation Z Saving And The Upper Middle Class Continues To Expand -- April 5, 2026

Locator: 50434WEALTH.

Gen Z:

• link here; and,
• link here. 

 

The upper middle class is growing; the number of lower middle class is falling. Link here.

America’s middle class is becoming wealthier as more families scale the economic ladder into higher-earning groups. New research shows that the ranks of the affluent have grown markedly over the last 50 years or so, while the lower rungs of the middle class have shrunk.

In 2024, about 31% of Americans were part of the upper middle class, up from about 10% in 1979, according to a report released this year by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

There is no single, standard definition of middle class, or upper middle class, and what counts as a hefty income in one city can feel paltry in another. The AEI report, by Stephen Rose and Scott Winship, classified a family of three earning $133,000 to $400,000 in 2024 dollars as upper middle class. 

Households earning more were categorized as rich. The analysis looked just at incomes, not assets such as stocks or real estate. 

The authors found that more families now fall into the two highest-earning groups—upper middle class and rich—and fewer fall into the three lower-earning categories.

In 2024, about 19% of American families were considered “poor or near poor,” according to the AEI report, down from about 30% in 1979. The report defined that group as a family of three earning about $40,000 or less in 2024 dollars.

 AI prompt: 

The WSJ has a very interesting story today -- more Americans are breaking into the upper middle class (https://www.wsj.com/economy/more-americans-are-breaking-into-the-upper-middle-class-bf8b7cb2?mod=WTRN_pos1). There was some analysis but not much -- the usual: the importance of college. College leads to higher-paying jobs and maybe that accounts for 90% of how the middle class is growing. 

I wonder, though, if the fact that unions have had a huge effect, and to some extent very counterintuitive. The unions have always improved wages, but long strikes are incredibly damaging to one's finacial situation. It seems to me that labor strikes are less common and much, much shorter. 

Divorce and being out of work for any reason will have major effect on financial situation. One wonders whether union workers right now are in the sweet spot: unions helping with income and benefits (particulalry health benefits) but more importantly, minimizing strike action. Thoughts? What do you think is major reason(s) for growing middle class? 

Results:

• Gemini failed.
• ChatGPT was incredible. 

The reply was very, very long, but this is what I took away: 

• top reasons for income growth:
• dual incomes
• smaller families (less college to pay for)
• just as parents are at or entering their high income ages
• higher paying jobs
• steady income (must less disruption in steady work / steady income
• unions have had positive effect on pay scale across the board -- not just unions
• meanwhile, wage increase due to unions is not a major contributor to inflation
• top ways to hurt/destroy a family's wealth:
• divorce
• job instability
• poor-paying jobs