The mainstream DDR 256Mb 32Mbx8 400/333MHz were confined to narrow ranges in past week. From June 7 to June 14, 400MHz have been traded from $2.42 to $2.45 and down to $2.39 while 333MHz was up 2.5% from $2.39 to $2.45 and down to $2.42.

DDR 512Mb 64Mbx8 400MHz has swung into positive gear on a stronger demand in Chinese market and a limited supply of Hynix parts to the market. The price boosted 4% from $4.82 to $5.01. Meanwhile, DDR2 512Mb 64Mbx8 533MHz dropped from $5.87 to $5.76. According to our channel check, the demand for DDR2 modules is still quite languish because end users have no much motivation to take DDR2 533MHz while many DDR modules can tune overclock to run over 500MHz and DDR2 667MHz chipset is still not available to the market until the third quarter. However, some DRAM makers have bunch of DDR2 inventory piled up during the migration and mass production on DDR2. The pressure to sell the low yield DDR2 parts to the spot market will drag DDR2 spot prices down further, even lower than DDR parts in the future, we believe.

eTT(UTT) parts remain in positive territory. The price swings up from $2.2 to $2.28 with a result of tight supply from Powerchip to the spot market. Also, some channel buyers and module houses have accumulated eTT parts for an inventory build toward hot season or a speculation with an anticipation of upward pricing trend. Though, some marketers expect a weaker pricing for eTT parts as Powerchip may loosen its release eTT parts to spot market soon.

SDRAM 1Mx16 and 4Mx16 gets stronger demand and pricing support

Low density SDRAM 1Mx16 and 4Mx16 were traded from $0.48 to $0.49 and $1.03 to $1.04 respectively. According to channel sources, Samsung has stopped offering low density parts and Hynix has reduced their production output of low density SDRAM, marketers believe the prices for low density SDRAM will go upward. Thus, buyers find it getting harder to locate low price parts in the market.

Nand flash prices pulled back from highs on previous week

For Nand flash, Hynix Nand flash 1Gb/2Gb parts have pulled back from the highs on previous week when Hynix had lowered the prices for new shipment of Nand flash products to Hong Kong and Taiwan market last Thursday. This has been acting as an influential drag on the broader market. Most buyers hold their respective interest in check with concern of negative pricing performance in the coming week as Samsung will have new shipments to Hong Kong this Friday and they expect Samsung will lower the contract prices following Hynix. From June 6 to June 14, the average Nand flash prices for 1Gb/2Gb/4Gb/8Gb have traded lower from $8.08 to $8.04, $13.37 to $12.96, $27.7 to $26.66 and $47.63 to $47.2. Hynix 1Gb/2Gb are traded at $7.15 and $12.2 today.