What They Say
Digitimes reported data from All View Cloud, a Chinese analyst firm, that TV sales around China’s National Day were down 8.3% to 2.684 million. Online sales also declined for the first time, by 0.3%. One of the main factors was price increases of 10% to 30% from September driven by higher panel prices. Average prices rose 24% from last year to $375.
What We Think
Panel price is dictated by the supply demand balance. In the case of China, it may be that higher prices impact the demand side of the equation more than increasing panel supply, which has typically been the reason for the Crystal Cycle moving to the next phase. Better panel makers has slowed down the withdrawal of the Korean makers. Those two factors may contribute to the damping of prices. (BR)
DSCC Published this forecast for Panel Prices in August. Click for higher resolution
