Why Taiwan Semiconductor Stock Tumbled Today

Source Motley_fool

Key Points

  • The U.S. government wants to take a 10% stake in Intel.

  • It also wants to convert the free grant money that it already promised Intel into payment for Intel shares.

  • The government may do the same thing to TSMC.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ›

Contract semiconductor manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) stock slid 2.2% through 12:22 p.m. ET Wednesday. Why? As you may have heard by now, President Trump is planning to take an equity stake in Intel (NASDAQ: INTC).

Stylized semiconductor computer chip flashes Warning system failure.

Image source: Getty Images.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

All the cool kids are doing it

Following passage of the Biden administration's CHIPS Act supporting the U.S. semiconductor industry, Intel was awarded $10.9 billion in grants. But as Bloomberg reports, the Trump White House is now negotiating with Intel to convert those grants into a 10% stake in Intel stock.

But Intel wasn't alone in winning CHIPS Act grants. As CNBC points out, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) was awarded $6.6 billion in U.S. government semiconductor subsidies. And now it seems U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick may want to convert that grant into an equity stake as well.

What does this mean for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock?

That's the question investors are pondering today: What does this mean for TSMC?

If Commerce converts its $6.6 billion grant into a $6.6 billion investment in TSMC stock, it will effectively remove $6.6 billion in "free money" from TSMC's balance sheet. But TSMC would still get to keep the $6.6 billion -- in exchange for handing shares over to the government. It might also be better positioned to win further government subsidies.

But what if the rumors prove false? What if the government invests only in Intel, and not in TSMC? That would seem to give the government a big incentive to make sure Intel "wins" the semiconductor market, perhaps at TSMC's expense.

This is bad news for TSMC.

Should you invest $1,000 in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now?

Before you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $654,781!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,076,588!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,055% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025

Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short August 2025 $24 calls on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Bitcoin Dips Below $113K Near Six-Week Low Despite Federal Reserve Cut ExpectationsBitcoin dipped beneath the $113,000 mark on Monday, wiping out the strong rally sparked by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s dovish comments.
Author  Mitrade
13 hours ago
Bitcoin dipped beneath the $113,000 mark on Monday, wiping out the strong rally sparked by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s dovish comments.
placeholder
Bitcoin Dips to Two-Week Low Around $113K Ahead of Fed Jackson Hole EventBitcoin continued its downward trajectory on Wednesday, hitting a two-week low as investors trimmed their positions ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming Jackson Hole symposium.
Author  Mitrade
8 Month 20 Day Wed
Bitcoin continued its downward trajectory on Wednesday, hitting a two-week low as investors trimmed their positions ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming Jackson Hole symposium.
placeholder
UK Inflation Climbs to 3.8% in July, Approaching 4.0% PeakUK consumer price inflation edged up to 3.8% in July from 3.6% in June, slightly surpassing the consensus forecast of 3.7%, official figures showed Wednesday.
Author  Mitrade
8 Month 20 Day Wed
UK consumer price inflation edged up to 3.8% in July from 3.6% in June, slightly surpassing the consensus forecast of 3.7%, official figures showed Wednesday.
placeholder
OpenAI Introduces Lowest-Cost ChatGPT Subscription in India with UPI Payment OptionOn Tuesday, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Go, its most affordable AI subscription tier, targeting the price-sensitive Indian market. Nick Turley, OpenAI’s Vice President and Head of ChatGPT, announced the launch via an X post, highlighting that users can pay through India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Author  Mitrade
8 Month 19 Day Tue
On Tuesday, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Go, its most affordable AI subscription tier, targeting the price-sensitive Indian market. Nick Turley, OpenAI’s Vice President and Head of ChatGPT, announced the launch via an X post, highlighting that users can pay through India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
placeholder
Small Caps and Value Stocks Lead Gains as S&P 500 AdvancesLast week, the S&P 500 continued its upward momentum despite notable shifts in market leadership.
Author  Mitrade
8 Month 19 Day Tue
Last week, the S&P 500 continued its upward momentum despite notable shifts in market leadership.
goTop
quote