Liquid-crystal-display (LCD) panel makers are raising prices of panels in the second half of this month on rebounding demand for TVs, especially in China, and inventory buildup by computer makers in preparation for PC replacement demand later this year, market researcher DisplaySearch said.
In addition, component supply constraints and labor shortages in China are casting uncertainty over panel production, DisplaySearch said in the report released on Friday.
The DisplaySearch report came after AU Optronics Corp (友達光電) said last month that prices for TV and PC panels might rebound by a single-digit percentage in the current quarter from the previous quarter on recovering demand.
“Brand TV makers are continuing to stock more panels for first quarter, especially since demand from China remains firm,” DisplaySearch said.
Prices for panels used in PC monitors are expected to rise US$1 on average, bringing the mainstay 19-inch monitor panel price to US$183 in the second half of this month, while those for 32-inch TV screens may stay at US$208, it said.
A price rise is rarely seen during the conventionally sluggish first quarter, but DisplaySearch attributed the rise to strong demand for 32-inch LCD TVs as the production of these shares capacity with monitor panels. Demand for monitor panels was higher than expected on concerns about panel allocation and plans for aggressive shipments in the first quarter, the report said.
Panel makers also planned to raise the price of notebook computer panels by US$1 in the second half of this month as Intel Corp’s new Calpella notebook platform and the Pine Trail-M netbook platform are set to hit the market this quarter, both of which are expected to spur replacement demand.
The new platforms may help boost notebook shipments, which are expected to increase 6 percent quarter-on-quarter, or 45 percent annually, DisplaySearch estimated. It did not provided a detailed forecast.
A 14-inch laptop panel is expected to be priced at US$61 in the second half of this month, the report said.
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