Driven by unexpected demand from some China-based traders, DRAM spot pricing again posted a rally this week (December 21-24). But for the NAND flash market, demand remained sluggish, according to inSpectrum.
Spot prices of branded and white-brand DDR2 surged by 4% compared to last week. As of the noon session of December 24, spot prices of branded and white-brand 1Gb DDR2 stood at US$2.48 and US$2.36, respectively.
The unexpected DRAM price rally was stimulated by sudden orders from traders looking for chips to fulfill orders that were promised to clients earlier, inSpectrum explained. 1Gb DDR2 was the main target for the orders, the firm added.
Demand for DDR3 chips also surfaced from some module houses, resulting in a mild price increase. As of the noon session of December 24, pricing of 1Gb DDR3 had grown by 2% to US$2.54.
Meanwhile, slowness at the NAND flash spot market continued into the week. Spot pricing of 16Gb multi-level cell (MLC) closed at US$4.49 and 32Gb at US$7.17 as of the noon session of December 24, representing a less than 1% change on week.
Despite weak demand for NAND flash, corresponding spot prices did not post a big drop, inSpectrum highlighted. This was because industry players are optimistic about ongoing demand in January, backed by anticipated inventory preparations for the Lunar New Year (in mid February).
Instead of selling chips cheaply to channels, some traders would rather hold out and wait for better quotes next month, inSpectrum observed.