Japan-Korea Trade Spat and Toshiba Blackout Hike DRAM Prices by 20 Percent

[btarunr]

Prices of DRAM shot up by 20 percent as Japan put in place export curbs that restrict high-technology exports to South Korea, and as Toshiba recovers from a power blackout that temporarily halted production. This could impact prices of end-user products such as PC memory modules, or consumer electronics, such as smartphones, in the coming weeks, as inventories either dry up, or are marked-up at various stages of the supply-chain. The memory industry is inter-dependent between fabrication and packaging units spread across South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

Memory and flash industry observer DRAMeXchange reported that spot-pricing of 8-gigabit DDR4 DRAM chips, which is used as a benchmark for DRAM pricing as a whole, closed at USD $3.74 at the end of trading on Friday (19/07). It's up 14.6 percent week-over-week, and 23 percent up pricing as on 5th July. An industry observer who spoke with KBS World notes that the recent hikes are not directly infuenced by the trade-spat between Japan and Korea, but rather a power blackout experienced at a Toshiba DRAM manufacturing facility last month. The observer noted that if the trade-spat affects production at Samsung Electronics or SK Hynix, DRAM prices could "skyrocket."



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[seronx]

Oh no, who would have thought the prices would be hiked! Woe is us the consumers to constantly suffer these tragedies. *faint*

 

[Prima.Vera]

Naturally. Perfect excuse.

 

[Fatalfury]

When Japan or Korea fight...They knew they both will win...

 

[TheOne]

The heck you say.

 

[Vayra86]

Filthy rats

 

[Bones]

Not directly influenced but still influenced and will drive prices up even further.
Also an excuse to say "It's not our fault this is happening".

 

[Dammeron]

Oh no, who would have thought the prices would be hiked! Woe is us the consumers to constantly suffer these tragedies. *faint*

It's funny how Toshiba claims they had a blackout. Like I'll believe that they do not have emergency energy source at their fabs...

 

[_JP_]

if the trade-spat affects production at Samsung Electronics or SK Hynix, DRAM prices could "skyrocket."

Not a question of "if", but "when"...since the option is already on the table, I mean.

 

[bonehead123]

And so it begins.....JUST as predicted by many of the members here

Just exactly how many more of these lame-butt excuses do we have to listen to anyways ?

What a load of B>S>....

 

[PLAfiller]

I can't believe the ease with that they are doing this kind of stuff lately....on a regular basis. They are not even trying to come up with something even remotely believable....and I am totally used to this now. Seems to be the new way RAM/ HDD prices are regulated: flood, blackout, stolen cat, whatever you say...

 

[Zareek]

This is what we call a cartel. Someone has a less than appealing dinner and it's an excuse to bump prices. That's how gasoline is priced in the US.

 

[sepheronx]

I dont have a system that requires DDR4 but was thinking of getting some ddr4. Should I just buy some now since I can get these:

Team T-Force Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) Desktop Memory Model TLGD416G3000HC16CDC01 - Newegg.com

Buy Team T-Force Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) Desktop Memory Model TLGD416G3000HC16CDC01 with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.ca

at a good price? Just to hold onto them until I do? Cause it going up is probably inevitable.

 

[bonehead123]

I dont have a system that requires DDR4 but was thinking of getting some ddr4. Should I just buy some at a good price? Just to hold onto them until I do? Cause it going up is probably inevitable.

That's a really good price for 3000mhz.... I grabbed a few 16gb sets last week just because of this nonsense, even though I don't need them right now, but will in the near future....

 

[sepheronx]

That's a really good price for 3000mhz.... I grabbed a few 16gb sets last week just because of this nonsense, even though I don't need them right now, but will in the near future....

But since I do not have a DDR4 compatible system, should I just take the plunge anyway for backup in the future? Or should I just forgo it and hope prices drop again?

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

2 events that were "unexpected" and unrelated. HorseHockies!

If anyone thinks that blackout was a pure accident, I got a bridge to sell you!

 

[ObiFrost]

But since I do not have a DDR4 compatible system, should I just take the plunge anyway for backup in the future? Or should I just forgo it and hope prices drop again?

Would grab right now, perhaps the dearing will continuously climb and peak the prices like they were a year ago. The only viable reason for even lower prices to exist is when first batches of DDR5 will hit the market, until then, better now as NAND will price spike along soon.

 

[windwhirl]

Ha! And people here thought they weren't creative enough.

I kinda want to run and buy some now, but I'll have to hold on a while more...

 

[hardcore_gamer]

It was just a matter of time. NAND is next.

 

[RealNeil]

I dont have a system that requires DDR4 but was thinking of getting some ddr4. Should I just buy some now since I can get these:

Team T-Force Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) Desktop Memory Model TLGD416G3000HC16CDC01 - Newegg.com

Buy Team T-Force Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) Desktop Memory Model TLGD416G3000HC16CDC01 with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.ca

at a good price? Just to hold onto them until I do? Cause it going up is probably inevitable.

Buy it.
Good price and you'll probably need it in the future.

 

[Athlonite]

2 events that were "unexpected" and unrelated. HorseHockies!

If anyone thinks that blackout was a pure accident, I got a bridge to sell you!

Will you take Toshiba/Samsung/SKHynix shares or maybe Monopoly money for that Bridge.

What's next for their excuse to raise the prices of DRAM the gradual shift of the Earths magnetic field or perhaps the meteor that flew to close to earth causing a disruption in the space/time continuum

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Will you take Toshiba/Samsung/SKHynix shares or maybe Monopoly money for that Bridge.

What's next for their excuse to raise the prices of DRAM the gradual shift of the Earths magnetic field or perhaps the meteor that flew to close to earth causing a disruption in the space/time continuum

ohh tought choice there!

 

[Vayra86]

Will you take Toshiba/Samsung/SKHynix shares or maybe Monopoly money for that Bridge.

What's next for their excuse to raise the prices of DRAM the gradual shift of the Earths magnetic field or perhaps the meteor that flew to close to earth causing a disruption in the space/time continuum

You overcomplicate this. All they need is for the CEO to bump his toe in a bad way.

 

[R-T-B]

The trade spat is the only one I believe becauase it's a real multinational thing spanning many industries. Like it or not, and convienient or not, it's real. (They probably are inflating the consequences though...)

The "blackout" is most likely BS IMO. If there was one, they probably caused it...

 

[windwhirl]

The "blackout" is most likely BS IMO. If there was one, they probably caused it...

I don't know how power-intensive those fabs are, but those blackouts seem to happen veeeery often lately.

Down here, they happened often enough that apartment buildings started buying backup generators. So why couldn't a multi-billion dollar company buy a bunch of generators, just in case? Heck, they probably have more than enough money to have their own power grids with triple backup, perfectly suited to their needs and more, all without making a dent in their profits...

If I were more naive, I'd say they are a bunch of incompetent fools.