TSMC says evaluating ASML's proposal to co-invest

TAIPEI, July 10 (Reuters) - TSMC, the world's top contract chip maker, said on Tuesday it has received a proposal from ASML, the world's largest supplier to chipmakers of machines, on co-investment and it is in the process of evaluating the proposal.

TSMC spokeswoman Elizabeth Sun said the proposal is an invitation to co-invest in exchange for some of ASML's shares. She did not elaborate further.

ASML's CEO said earlier in the day that the company was in talks with its three big customers about co-investment, including TSMC and Samsung Electronics about co-investment and he expected to announce additional customer investments in coming weeks.

Intel Corp announced on Thursday it would spend more than $4 billion to buy up to 15 percent of ASML and bankroll the Dutch company's research into costly next-generation chipmaking technology.