Nikon Corp.

Nikon President Yasuhiro Ohmura, in an interview by the 17th, indicated that of the roughly ¥360 billion in growth investment planned through fiscal 2030, the company will prioritize allocation to its semiconductor business, given the large volume of semiconductor lithography equipment.

The global metrology market is projected to grow from USD 12.5 billion in 2025 to USD 21.9 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.8%, according to a new report by Custom Market Insights. The market is expected to reach USD 13.2 billion in 2026. Growth is driven by increased adoption in aerospace, defense, and automotive industries, along with the integration of in-line metrology equipment supporting Industry 4.0 and machine-to-machine communication. North America held the largest market share in 2025, while the Asia Pacific region is forecast to grow at the highest CAGR, fueled by automotive production in China and India. Key players include Carl Zeiss AG, Faro Technologies, Mitutoyo Corporation, and Nikon Corporation.

ASML Holding shares fell 7.82% on June 23, 2026, retreating from an all-time high of $1,929.68 reached five days earlier, after the Dutch government announced it would join the U.S.-led Pax Silica alliance coordinating AI hardware and supply chain security. The move heightens expectations of deeper multilateral export restrictions, including the proposed MATCH Act, which targets older deep ultraviolet immersion equipment and would prohibit Western companies from providing software upgrades, replacement parts, and maintenance services for previously installed equipment in China. Chinese clients accounted for 36% of ASML's system sales in the final quarter of 2025 but only 19% in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting front-loaded orders ahead of tighter limits. Despite regulatory headwinds, first-quarter 2026 net sales reached 8.8 billion euros with a 53% gross margin, and management raised full-year 2026 consolidated sales guidance to a range of 36 billion to 40 billion euros, supported by robust demand from Western customers building subsidized advanced fabrication facilities. Meanwhile, Nikon announced an aggressive pricing strategy to capture mature-node market share, and Chinese domestic competitors are mass-producing immersion scanners, adding competitive pressure to ASML's legacy deep ultraviolet business.