YMTC Rises To Third In Global NAND Shipments, Surpassing Micron And Kioxia

by News Editor

August 13, 2026

China’s Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) is gaining ground in the global NAND memory market, reaching third place by shipments in the second quarter, according to Counterpoint Research.

YMTC captured 14% of global NAND shipments, putting it behind South Korea’s Samsung and SK hynix but ahead of U.S. chipmaker Micron and Japan’s Kioxia.

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YMTC Strengthens Its Position

NAND memory retains data when devices are powered off and is widely used in smartphones, computers and storage products. Demand is rising as the need for data storage grows, although NAND is generally slower and less expensive than DRAM.

Counterpoint Research Director MS Hwang expects YMTC to extend its lead over Kioxia in 2027 and 2028. He also said manufacturers need roughly 15% market share to generate enough cash to fund future capital investment.

YMTC had briefly overtaken Kioxia a year ago before falling behind again. Its return to third place therefore marks an important shift in the competitive landscape.

China’s Memory Sector Expands

YMTC is preparing for a potential listing in mainland China, following the successful debut of Chinese DRAM maker CXMT in July.

CXMT held 7% of the global DRAM market in the second quarter, placing fourth behind Samsung, SK hynix and Micron, according to Counterpoint’s DRAM report.

Despite its shipment gains, YMTC still trails Micron and Kioxia in NAND revenue because its business remains more focused on consumer products than data centers. Counterpoint expects data centers to account for around half of NAND demand by the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, SK hynix is reportedly preparing to resume investment at its Dalian facility in China after a four-year pause, potentially boosting production capacity.

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Cyprus’ Strong Youth Employment Rate Still Does Not Guarantee Early Independence

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 16, 2026

Young people in Cyprus have a relatively high employment rate, but they leave the parental home later than the EU average, according to Eurostat data.

Cypriots left home at an average age of 27 in 2025, compared with 26.3 years across the EU. At the same time, 72.3% of people aged 20 to 29 in Cyprus were employed, well above the EU average of 65.5%.

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Strong Employment Does Not Mean Early Independence

Only nine countries recorded higher youth employment rates than Cyprus. Iceland led at 85.3%, followed by the Netherlands at 84%, Malta at 82.1%, Switzerland at 78.3% and Germany at 77%.

Norway recorded 76.5%, Ireland 76.1%, Denmark 74.8% and Austria 74.6%. Eurostat said countries where young people leave home earlier generally tend to have higher youth employment rates.

Southern Europe Sees Later Moves

Finland had the lowest average age for leaving the parental home at 21.4 years, followed by Denmark at 21.8 and Estonia and Lithuania at 22.7. Croatia recorded the highest average at 31.5 years, followed by Greece and Slovakia at 30.9. Spain and Italy both stood at 30.2 years.

Across the EU, the average has remained close to 26 since 2002, rising only slightly from 26.2 years in 2024 to 26.3 years in 2025.

Cyprus Labour Market Is Cooling

The figures come as Cyprus’ labor market shows some signs of easing, although demand for workers remains relatively strong by European standards.

Separate Eurostat data showed Cyprus had the EU’s largest annual decline in its job vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2026. The rate fell to 2.6% from 3.3% a year earlier, but remained above the EU average of 2.0% and the euro area average of 2.1%.

Cost Of Living Remains A Factor

Housing and other living costs can also affect how quickly young workers establish independent households. Eurostat reported that Cyprus’ household consumption price level was 89.2% of the EU average in 2025.

A relatively lower overall price level does not eliminate affordability pressures for people on modest incomes. For younger workers, the issue can be whether wages are sufficient to cover rent, utilities, food and other basic expenses.

Cyprus therefore combines relatively high youth employment with a later transition to independent living, suggesting that access to work and the ability to afford a separate household do not always move together.

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