MU ▼ -6.0% - Micron Technology, Inc. Elon Musk's criticism of memory-chip prices may be part of a broader strategy to pressure Samsung Electronics into lowering semiconductor manufacturing costs, according to South Korea's Global Economic Daily. * Tesla allegations: A purported semiconductor engineer accused Tesla ($TSLA) of demanding sensitive foundry information, audit rights and steep discounts for its AI5 and AI6 chips. The allegations remain unverified. * Terafab: The engineer also alleged that Musk's semiconductor project recruited numerous workers from Samsung's Texas operations. * Pricing strategy: The publication suggests Musk's praise for Micron ($MU), criticism of rival suppliers and predictions of massive Chinese memory production by 2028 could strengthen Tesla's negotiating position. This remains speculation. * Samsung production: Tesla's AI5 chip is reportedly in trial production at Samsung's Taylor facility, with 2nm mass production targeted for 2027. * China competition: CXMT could reach 500,000–600,000 DRAM wafers monthly by late 2028, although analysts estimate Samsung maintains a 5–7-year technological lead. 18-OCT-2026 07:42 PM ET