ASML Holding NV News

The project codenamed SOLID is meant to optimize the patterning process from design to manufacturing as well as to extend characterization tools and methods to develop new compensation and correction techniques for cutting variability.

ASML Holding NV has announced a project with STMicroelectronics to accelerate 28-nm and 22-nm manufacturing process node development.

BofA Merrill Lynch lowered its 2010 growth forecast for global semiconductor industry and downgraded ten chipmakers, including Intel Corp , turning more cautious on the group on expectations of a modest overshoot in global supply chain inventories.

A battle being fought now in competitive benchmark studies at chip companies is going to dictate the lithography business environment for the next several years, according to Robert Castellano, president of market analysis company The Information Network .

Dutch semiconductor-equipment group ASML Holding was upgraded to buy from hold on Tuesday at Nomura, which cited evidence of a firm capital expenditure outlook and noted a recent stockprice correction.

Brion Technologies, an ASML company, has reached a multi-year agreement with Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd., one of the world's top dedicated semiconductor foundries, to implement a broad suite of computational lithography products.

European services giant ING Groep NV said Monday it will split itself in two, spinning off its insurance arm to simplify its business and issuing 7.5 billion euro in new shares to repay state bailout money.

Hynix Semiconductor Inc. recorded its first quarterly net profit in two years as prices for memory chips rose in a rapidly recovering market.

SuccessFactors Inc., a business-software maker, said it priced 12 million common shares at $15.50 per share.

Drug maker Novartis AG has posted a 1 percent increase in third-quarter net profit driven by strong sales from its pharmaceuticals division.

Italian automaker Fiat Group SpA on Wednesday posted its third straight quarterly loss due largely to falling sales of trucks and farm and construction equipment.

Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson on Friday said its losses widened to euro164 million in the third quarter, mainly due to plunging sales, but reassured the market by announcing it had secured new financing from external investors.

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ASML , the European chip-equipment maker, reported third-quarter earnings of 20 million euros , down from year-earlier earnings of 73 million euros, but a swing from a loss in its latest second quarter.

A surprisingly strong profit and outlook from Intel and much stronger-than-forecast results from J.P. Morgan Chase sent U.S. stock futures rallying and put a 10,000 level on the Dow Jones Industrial Average within reach.

ASML Holding NV, a key supplier to computer chip makers, reported Wednesday a net profit of euro20 million for the third quarter, ending a nine-month streak of losses, and said new orders had increased sharply.

But the prominent chip-equipment producer returned to profit after three consecutive quarters of losses.

ASML Holding NV today announces that the Supervisory Board intends to appoint Frederic Schneider-Maunoury as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer to the Board of Management, subject to notification of the general meeting of shareholders which is scheduled to be held on March 24, 2010.

Among the stocks expected to see active trading Thursday are the European food, drink and tobacco firms as well as ASML, Comcast, Corning, General Mills, Men's Wearhouse, Monsanto, Smith & Wesson, TI, Time Warner Cable and Williams Cos.

Business is improving in the fab tool sector. Two suppliers--Cymer Inc. and KLA-Tencor Corp.--have separately raised their forecasts.