Memory chip spot prices have risen for the first time this year, indicating grim warnings of 'never seen before' spikes and a supply disruption ...
SEOUL: Memory chip spot prices have risen for the first time this year, indicating grim warnings of"never seen before" spikes and a supply disruption could come to pass as a dispute between South Korea and Japan drags on.
"If the ban continues, memory prices will skyrocket like never seen before as 75 per cent of DRAM and 45 per cent of NAND global output is at risk," Mark Newman from Bernstein said, referring to South Korea's dominance in the supply of those memory chips. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, the world's top contract chipmaker, warned that Japan's export curb is the"biggest uncertainty" for the fourth quarter.Japan has tightened curbs on exports of three chipmaking materials - fluorinated polyimides, used in smartphone displays; photoresists, used to transfer circuit patterns on to semiconductor wafers; and hydrogen fluoride, used as an etching gas when making chips.
A local media reported that South Korea was considering lowering import tariffs on these products from other countries to fill in any potential supply gaps. A person at Toshiba Memory said the plant resumed operations in mid-July but it will take time for shipments to recover fully and that the company still has to catch up with existing orders.
Clear winners from better chip prices would be Micron, Toshiba, Nanya and Western Digital, Bernstein's Newman said.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
South Korea accuses Japan of 'lukewarm' stand on North Korea sanctionsRelations between US allies South Korea and Japan deteriorated on Tuesday with South Korea questioning Japan's commitment to UN sanctions against ...
Read more »
Japan may take South Korea wartime labour dispute to International Court of Justice: ReportTOKYO: Japan is considering taking a dispute with South Korea over its compensation of wartime forced labourers to the International Court of ...
Read more »
Japan may take South Korea wartime labour dispute to International Court of Justice[TOKYO] Japan is considering taking a dispute with South Korea over its compensation for wartime forced labourers to the International Court of Justice as the deadline for seeking third-country arbitration passes on Thursday, public broadcaster NHK reported. Read more at The Business Times.
Read more »
South Korea cuts interest rate as Japan trade row simmersSouth Korea's central bank on Thursday cut its key interest rate for the first time in three years as the economy struggles with sluggish global ...
Read more »
North Korea warns US-South Korea drills will affect nuclear talksNorth Korea on Tuesday said looming US-South Korea military drills could impact the proposed resumption of nuclear talks between Pyongyang and ...
Read more »
South Korea: Stocks down nearly 1%[SEOUL] South Korean stocks fell nearly 1 per cent on Wednesday as economic dispute between South Korea and Japan weighed on sentiment, while US-China trade conflict worries piled on. Read more at The Business Times.
Read more »