US export controls are hindering Semiconductor Manufacturing International's (HKG:0981, SHA:688981) advancement of chip-making technology, Canadian research firm TechInsights said Monday.

Shares in the circuit manufacturer rose 1% in Hong Kong and Shanghai during morning trading on Tuesday.

The development is highlighted by Huawei's use of SMIC's 2023-made chip for the newly-launched MateBook Fold, TechInsights said.

Industry insiders speculated that Huawei would use SMIC's newer 5-nanometer equivalent N+3 process node chip for the computer, but the MateBook Fold uses the Kirin X90 chip, which uses 7nm N+2 process node, TechInsights said.

"This likely means that SMIC has not yet achieved a 5nm equivalent node that can be produced at scale," TechInsights said.