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SK Hynix is in talks with Intel to manufacture its memory chips in the U.S. for the first time, Reuters reported Wednesday, sending shares of both companies higher. Intel rose 5% while SK Hynix's Nasdaq-listed shares climbed about 2%. SK Hynix said it had not finalized any specific plans. Under one scenario, SK Hynix would lease part of Intel's chipmaking facility in Ohio, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Intel and SK Hynix could also form a joint venture with Intel and major cloud firms, Reuters said. SK Hynix could also look at other ways to structure the deal, the news agency reported. The talks are exploratory, and no decisions have been made, one of the sources told Reuters. "SK hynix is exploring various options to strengthen its global competitiveness, but no specific plans or arrangements have been finalized at this time," SK Hynix said in a statement on Wednesday. "No decisions have been made regarding the two scenarios mentioned in the article." Intel did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the report. If a deal is struck, it would be a big win for Intel, which has been looking to gain marquee customers for its manufacturing, or foundry business, which is a key pillar of CEO Lip-Bu Tan's strategy. The arrangement could also advance the U.S. government's efforts to bring more semiconductor manufacturing to America's shores. SK Hynix is one of the world's leading suppliers of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a key component of Nvidia's chips. It also produces other types of memory chips that are crucial for AI applications. A deal between Intel and SK Hynix to manufacture advanced memory like HBM could face opposition from the South Korean government because the technologies are considered sensitive, Reuters reported, citing three sources. SK Hynix, which listed its American depository receipts on the Nasdaq in July, has been a big beneficiary of the AI boom. The rush to build data centers has created a shortage of memory chips, sharply driving up prices and enabling SK Hynix and its rival Samsung to rake in huge profits. SK Hynix's South Korea-listed stock is up 400% over the last year. In June, SK Hynix announced plans to double capacity over the next five years. Demand for HBM is "enormous," Chairman Chey Tae-won told CNBC in July. SK Hynix already has plans to boost U.S. production. Last month, the company broke ground on its first U.S. facility, located in Indiana. CEO Kwak Noh-Jung said the $4 billion factory will make the state a "key HBM production base in America" by 2030.
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