Notebook panel demand is likely to be weak in the first quarter of 2015 as the overall notebook market is expected to decline around 20%.
According to WitsView, this decline in shipments will not only directly impact panel purchasing volume, but will also prolong the time needed to consume stockpiles carried over from the previous quarter. Additionally, 15.6-inch widescreen notebook panels, which have the largest trade volume, will see a price drop of US$0.70, and 14-inch widescreen units will see a drop ranging from US$0.50-$0.60. Panels in other sizes will see a price drop of just over or under US$0.50, which is comparable to the previous month.
Meanwhile, prices for mainstream TV panels have remained more or less constant in February, but there have been significant fluctuations in the 32-inch market. As the market responds to this news, worries about 32-inch panels in short supply have gradually receded to be replaced by ongoing and more flexible price negotiations. The present condition is not yet set for an overall price drop for 32-inch panels, but WitsView forecasts a turnaround in the market in the near term, the firm said.
Monitor panels face weak demand, and excess panel production capacities have been shifted from notebook and TV applications to monitors as part of a product mix adjustment process. Therefore, prices will remain weak due to oversupply. Among the mainstream monitor panel sizes, 21.5-inch has the weakest performance in February with a projected price drop-off ranging between US$0.80-0.90. A price drop-off range between US$0.40-0.60 is expected for other sizes, including 19.5-, 20-, 23- and 23.6-inch panels.
Article translated by Alex Wolfgram
