Tech

Taiwan’s AI Stock Boom Fuels Borrowing Frenzy as Investors Chase Big Gains

Published

4 hours ago

September 2, 2026

Taiwan’s booming stock market has encouraged a growing number of investors to borrow heavily to buy shares, with some taking out bank loans or remortgaging their homes in hopes of profiting from the island’s AI-driven technology rally.

The Taiwan stock market surged 59 per cent during the first half of the year, driven largely by strong demand for artificial intelligence hardware produced by companies including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The sharp rise has attracted investors who believe technology stocks still have room to climb.

Real-estate worker Lucas Chen, 34, borrowed NT$5 million, about €136,000, to increase his stock investments. Within six months, his technology holdings had risen by almost 70 per cent, increasing the value of his portfolio by roughly NT$20 million, or €544,000, by late June.

About half of Chen’s investments were in TSMC, which represented around 45 per cent of the Taiwan Stock Exchange at the end of 2025. He used his Tesla as collateral for two of three bank loans.

Chen, who has traded stocks for a decade, said he believed borrowing could be manageable if investors carefully calculated the risks.

However, the rapid expansion of debt-funded trading has also brought significant losses. Financial influencer Yeh Yu-shuo, whose Facebook investment group has hundreds of thousands of members, said some users had reported severe emotional distress after losing money.

One anonymous investor said he had put NT$10 million into the market, including NT$6 million borrowed through a mortgage, and had lost almost half of the amount. The investor described waking during the night in panic and said he had sought professional help.

The risks have grown as the technology rally became more volatile. Global markets reached record levels earlier this year as companies increased spending on AI data centres, hardware and software. The rally weakened in July as investors questioned whether the huge investments would generate sufficient returns and worried that technology stocks had become too expensive.

Taiwanese investors have increasingly turned to banks and brokers to finance their purchases. Margin trading, which allows investors to buy securities with borrowed money, rose nearly 20 per cent during the first half of the year compared with the previous six months, according to Taiwan Stock Exchange data.

Norman Yin, a money and banking professor at National Chengchi University, said younger investors had been buying stocks at an unusually rapid pace. He said banks were willing to lend as deposits remained high and property prices had been relatively stagnant.

Authorities have warned investors about the dangers of taking on excessive debt. Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission said overall credit risk remained under control, while the stock exchange has published social media videos warning younger investors about the consequences of failing to repay loans.

The market has also shown how quickly gains can disappear. Taiwan’s benchmark index fell about 16 per cent between its June 22 record and July 30 before recovering most of the losses.

Despite the volatility, many investors remain optimistic. Chen said the market represented a major opportunity for his generation, while Yeh said he remained confident as long as TSMC continued to perform strongly.

Tech

John Ternus Takes Over as Apple CEO After 15-Year Tim Cook Era

Published

4 hours ago

September 2, 2026

Web Reporter

Apple has appointed John Ternus as its new chief executive, ending Tim Cook’s 15-year tenure at the top of the technology company and beginning a new chapter as Apple faces mounting competition in artificial intelligence.

Ternus formally took over from Cook on Tuesday, inheriting a company valued at about $4.6 trillion. When Cook became CEO in 2011, Apple was worth less than $350 billion. Under his leadership, the company expanded its product portfolio, grew its services business and became one of the world’s most valuable companies.

Cook will remain with Apple as executive chairman, allowing the company to retain his experience and relationships during the leadership transition.

The change comes at a crucial moment for Apple. Artificial intelligence is reshaping the technology industry, creating pressure on major companies to develop powerful AI systems and integrate them into consumer products.

Apple has faced criticism over the pace of its AI development. The company began promoting a new generation of AI features nearly two years ago, but several promised improvements were delayed as Apple worked to develop the technology.

The company has since announced further AI upgrades, including improvements to its Siri voice assistant. Apple has stressed privacy and practical uses as it seeks to narrow the gap with competitors that have moved more aggressively into generative AI.

Ternus, a hardware engineering specialist, will now have to address challenges that extend well beyond product design. His responsibilities will include strengthening Apple’s position in AI while managing supply chain risks and complex international relationships.

Relations with US President Donald Trump are expected to be another important issue. Trump publicly praised Cook on Tuesday, highlighting the relationship the former CEO developed with the administration.

Cook spent years managing the impact of US trade policies and tariffs on Apple, particularly measures affecting Asian countries where many components are produced and assembled.

His continued role as executive chairman is expected to help Apple maintain important contacts as the company deals with trade policy and other political pressures.

Ternus is not new to Apple’s most important products. During Cook’s tenure, he worked on major devices and technologies including the Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Vision Pro.

His background in hardware has made him a central figure in Apple’s product development and positioned him as one of the company’s most prominent engineering leaders.

The new CEO will make his first major public appearance in the role next week when Apple unveils its latest iPhone at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The launch will offer an early test of how Ternus presents himself to consumers and investors while taking responsibility for a company entering a period of significant technological and competitive change.

Tech

Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ for US Users Amid Canada Trade Tensions

Published

2 days ago

August 31, 2026

Web Reporter

Google Maps has begun displaying the name “Lake America” for users in the United States after President Donald Trump ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario, adding a new point of tension between Washington and Ottawa.

The change means people in the US will see “Lake America” on Google Maps, while users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario”. People accessing the service from other countries will reportedly see both names.

Google said the decision follows the US Geographic Names Information System, the federal database used for official geographic names. The company said it updates its maps to reflect changes made by official government sources.

The move has drawn criticism in Canada, where Ontario Premier Doug Ford described the renaming as “absolutely backwards”.

“No one is going to call it Lake of America. It’s been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years, it’s going to continue being Lake Ontario,” Ford said in an interview with ABC.

Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes by surface area and sits along the border between Ontario and New York state. Its current name has been used for centuries and has Indigenous roots.

The dispute comes as relations between the two neighbouring countries have deteriorated over trade. Washington and Ottawa have imposed tariffs on each other, while negotiations on future trade arrangements have become increasingly difficult.

The automotive industry has become a major focus of the dispute. Canada exported C$78.6 billion in automotive products in 2025, with almost 95% of those exports going to the US, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.

The two countries’ automotive industries are closely connected, with components frequently crossing the border several times before vehicles are completed.

The US currently applies a 25% tariff to the non-US content of Canadian-built vehicles. That rate is scheduled to rise to 50% from January 2027 following the breakdown of recent trade discussions.

Trump has also criticised Canadian automotive exports, saying he does not want Canadian vehicles or parts entering the US market.

Ford warned that a prolonged trade conflict would hurt businesses and consumers in both countries. He argued that tariffs on Canadian goods would ultimately increase costs for Americans.

The Lake Ontario dispute follows Trump’s earlier decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in US federal usage. Mexico has rejected that change.

Apple Maps, meanwhile, continued displaying “Lake Ontario” for US users as of Sunday, meaning the two major mapping services currently differ over the lake’s name.

Tech

Twitter Name Returns as New Platform Takes Aim at Elon Musk’s X

Published

5 days ago

August 28, 2026

Web Reporter

The Twitter name is making an unexpected return as a new social media platform backed by former Twitter executive Stephen Coates opens its doors to early users, setting the stage for a legal and commercial battle with Elon Musk’s X.

Virginia-based startup Operation Bluebird launched Twitter.now this week, offering early access to a service designed around the principles that its founders say were lost after Musk acquired Twitter and transformed it into X.

Coates, who served as Twitter’s general counsel and was a member of its board, announced the launch on LinkedIn with the message, “Get over your X. The bird is back.”

The company says Twitter.now is not intended to simply recreate the original Twitter. Instead, it aims to give users greater control over the material appearing in their feeds. Its stated approach is based on “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach”, with users able to adjust how much trusted and less trusted content they see.

Operation Bluebird’s campaign began in December 2025, when it filed a petition with the US Patent and Trademark Office seeking cancellation of X’s trademarks for “Twitter” and “Tweet”. The startup argued that the marks had been abandoned after Musk removed the Twitter branding and replaced it with X.

The company then applied for its own Twitter trademark and became the target of legal action from X, which sought to prevent the new platform from launching and accused Operation Bluebird of intellectual property violations.

Operation Bluebird later secured a significant legal development when it argued that X had abandoned the Twitter and Tweet trademarks. US District Judge Colm Connolly issued a tentative ruling indicating that X may have abandoned those intellectual property rights, allowing the startup to move forward with its plans.

Users invited to join platform

Twitter.now is currently operating through an early access programme. Users can become “founders” for $20, or about €17, helping test and develop the service while securing usernames before the wider launch.

The company is also asking supporters to pay $40, or about €34, to join what it calls “the fight”, referring to its continuing legal dispute with X.

The startup describes the case as a “David & Goliath” contest between a small team and Musk. X has maintained that millions of people continue to access its service through the former Twitter website address and still commonly refer to posts as tweets.

Trust and content moderation are central to Twitter.now’s proposed identity. The platform plans to let users adjust the balance of trusted and low-trust sources in their feeds, although it has not explained in detail how those trust ratings will be determined.

Its rules are expected to prohibit illegal material, child exploitation, threats, harassment, scams and other harmful activity.

The launch comes as some former Twitter users have sought alternatives to X, citing concerns about moderation, credibility and the direction of the platform under Musk. Operation Bluebird hopes its new service can attract those users while challenging X over ownership of the Twitter name.