| The demand for LCD TV panels remains strong; therefore panel
makers are prioritizing for TV panel production. As a result, monitor panel
supply, especially for 16:9 panels, remains tight, and panel makers are
quoting price increases of more than $5 in the first half of May. To secure
panel allocations, monitor panel buyers are paying to get the volume.
Increasing demand for smaller LCD TVs that use monitor panels is also making
the supply of wide screens tight. Meanwhile, panel makers are raising fab utilization
to meet the current demand, but some panel makers are still cautious about
production planning due to concerns about future demand. |