On January 8, European chip stocks took a hit, triggered by Samsung Electronics' preliminary earnings announcement. ASM and BE Semiconductor were at the forefront of the downturn. Although Samsung Electronics anticipated a threefold increase in its fourth-quarter operating profit, its cautionary note on escalating storage costs and the ensuing impact on technology availability dealt a blow to investor confidence in Asian tech stocks. Consequently, European chip stocks tumbled, with ASM International and BE Semiconductor witnessing share price drops of 4.4% and 2.55%, respectively. ASML, which engages in some collaborative projects with Samsung, also experienced a 1.6% decline. Nevertheless, given the persistent rise in storage demand and the ongoing chip scarcity this year, the chip industry as a whole has shown robust upward momentum. In fact, ASM International still managed to secure a cumulative gain of 22% over the first four trading days of the year.