As demand for giant TVs from China continues, the price of large liquid crystal display (LCD) panels is expected to maintain an upward trend into early next year. While demand for IT devices such as laptops remains lackluster, global PC manufacturers have begun stockpiling panels in anticipation of tariff threats from the Trump administration's second term, which has moderated the decline in prices. Future panel prices for IT products will be determined by the tariff policy of the U.S. Trump administration next year.
According to market research firm TrendForce on the 23rd, LCD TV panel prices have stopped declining and are stabilizing since the fourth quarter of this year. The average price of a 65-inch LCD TV panel in December is projected to be $173, an increase of $1 from the previous month, while 75-inch and 85-inch panels are expected to rise by $2 compared to the prior month. Initially, industry opinions were largely in favor of maintaining TV panel prices in the fourth quarter, however, due to an unexpected improvement in demand for giant TVs, TrendForce claims that large panel prices will rise at the end of this year and into early next year.
The rise in panel prices, especially for large sizes, is due to strong demand in one of the world's largest TV markets, China. To stimulate the economy, the Chinese government has been providing subsidies of 15-20% for energy-efficient appliances since the third quarter of this year, which has led to an increase in giant TV consumption in China. As the possibility of extending these subsidy policies into next year is raised, analysis suggests that demand for large panels, particularly among domestic brands, will remain high next year.
Pan Bo-wee, vice president of TrendForce, noted, "Overall TV demand has stabilized this month, although the purchasing momentum for panels by global TV brands, which have entered inventory management for year-end, has somewhat weakened. However, Chinese TV brands are continuing to buy panels due to the influence of the subsidy support policy." He added, "It is predicted that prices for 32-inch to 55-inch panels will remain unchanged, while large panels will lead the rise in TV panel prices."
This year, prices for LCD panels for monitors and laptops, which had been hovering at the bottom, are experiencing a "temporary surge in demand" as the year-end approaches. With the upcoming Trump administration expected to mention tariffs on imported products multiple times, some global PC brands are proactively stockpiling monitor and laptop panels separate from actual product demand. Consequently, prices for monitor panels, which had been steadily declining until November, have stabilized across most models this month. Laptop panel prices have also stopped falling this month, forming a support level due to temporary stockpiling needs.
Some predict that if PC brands continue to place urgent orders, panel manufacturers may struggle to meet all this demand in the short term. Panel manufacturers, who have been grappling with oversupply and intensified competition, have kept their operating rates low this year. As a result, some of the excess demand is expected to be pushed into the first quarter of next year, which indicates that the decline in prices for IT-use LCD panels will pause for the time being. However, whether panel prices will maintain stability and successfully rebound after the first quarter of next year will depend on the tariff policies of the Trump administration and the resulting inventory stockpiling pace by PC brands, according to TrendForce.