①DRAM prices stabilized in March due to early contract signings, but are expected to resume an upward trend in the second quarter; ②Samsung Electronics has raised its forecast for PC DRAM price increases in the second quarter to 40%-45%, surpassing external predictions; ③The price of 128Gb MLC NAND flash memory surged 33.95% month-on-month in March, marking the 15th consecutive month of growth, and is anticipated to remain strong.
Cailian Press reported on April 1 (edited by Liu Rui) that in March this year, the nearly year-long upward trend in DRAM prices came to a halt as memory manufacturers and PC makers signed supply contracts early and locked in short-term prices. However, industry experts believe that DRAM prices will continue to rise in the second quarter of this year.
U.S. storage-related stocks continued their strong upward momentum today. $Western Digital (WDC.US)$ 、 $SanDisk (SNDK.US)$ soaring nearly 11%, $Micron Technology (MU.US)$surging over 8%, $Seagate Technology (STX.US)$ while another surged nearly 8%.
According to semiconductor market research firm DRAMeXchange, as of March 31, the average contract price for 8Gb DDR4 (mainstream PC DRAM) globally remained at $13, showing no change from the previous month. Prior to this, the price had achieved double-digit growth for 11 consecutive months.
DRAMeXchange pointed out that this was mainly because major chip suppliers and PC original equipment manufacturers had already determined DRAM prices for the first quarter in January and February, effectively locking in the price level for March. Looking at the data from the first three months, DRAM prices in the first quarter of this year surged 100% to 115% quarter-on-quarter.
However, it is expected that this upward trend will soon resume.
According to Korean media reports, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the world's two largest DRAM manufacturers, have recently informed their clients of plans to significantly raise DRAM prices in the second quarter.
DRAMeXchange stated that Samsung Electronics released its preliminary official quotes for the second quarter in late March, including terms allowing for further price adjustments. The company subsequently raised its forecast for PC DRAM price increases (including DDR4 and DDR5) in the second quarter to a range of 40%-45% month-on-month, surpassing earlier external forecasts.
NAND Prices Remain Strong
In contrast to DRAM, the average price of 128Gb MLC NAND flash memory increased by 33.95% month-on-month in March, reaching $17.73, marking 15 consecutive months of growth. The price increase is attributed to shortages of mature products such as SLC and MLC, as manufacturers shift production lines toward higher-density 3D NAND.
Market insiders expect NAND prices to remain strong going forward. Supply imbalances at traditional nodes will persist as memory manufacturers prioritize high-margin AI server applications over other products.
Editor/Jayden