LCD TV shipments in Brazil surged 51% in first-quarter 2014 compared to a year ago, while plasma TV shipments grew more than 200%, as retailers stocked up ahead of anticipated TV demand for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. Total TV shipments to Brazil reached 3.3 million units in the first quarter, up from just 2.1 million in first-quarter 2013, according to DisplaySearch.

　　"Not all regions see increased demand related to major sporting events, but the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament is driving higher levels of demand ahead of the event in Brazil," said Hisakazu Torii, VP of smart applications for DisplaySearch. "The main demand drivers are CRT replacement, broader HD broadcasting availability, and a strong push by manufacturers to maximize the promotional opportunity."

　　LCD TV shipment growth in Brazil during the first quarter was a dramatic improvement over sluggish growth the previous year; in fact, growth was more than twice as strong as any other single country. Growth rates also improved in Japan, India, and the US, the firm said.

　　"The China market has grown more slowly recently-especially because growth in the early part of last year was exceptionally strong, due to the looming end of the government-sponsored subsidy program," Torii said. "The mix of screen sizes also shifted larger recently." The 50-inch screen size category in China increased to 20.1% in the first quarter, which is more than twice as much as a year ago. Canada and the US both also had increases in this segment, increasing to 31.7% and 25.4%, respectively, added DisplaySearch.