LCD panel prices are expected to decrease towards the end of 2009 when supply and demand come into balance thanks to the recovery of glass substrate output and the start up of operations at a new plan…
LCD panel prices are expected to decrease towards the end of 2009 when supply and demand come into balance thanks to the recovery of glass substrate output and the start up of operations at a new plant for large panels. The average price for mainstay 32-inch panels for TVs was USD 215 in early October, following a steady rise from April to August that levelled out in September 2009. Many observers forecast that prices would start dropping in September, but this did not happen due to brisk demand. A further cause was the suspension of the Shizuoka Plant of leading substrate maker US Corning, damaged by the earthquake on 11 August. However, the substrate shortage is expected to end, and supply could even be more than demand already in this quarter. While prices are high on midsize and larger panels, smaller panels levelled out in the July-September quarter. Prices for panels for smartphones and other high-performance products made by Japanese manufacturers are expected to remain steady in the first half of the quarter, while those for Taiwanese products are expected to decrease slightly.