Global shipment of large-sized LCD panels — the kind used in consumer televisions and as computer screens — grew 41.4 percent in the second quarter after nine straight months of decline, according to market research firm iSuppli.
For the quarter, the number of such LCD panels shipped rose to 129.7 million units, an increase of 36 million from the first quarter. The increase comes after a series of declines in the preceding reporting periods — down 2.3 percent in Q3 ’08, a decline of 18.6 percent in Q4 ’08 and a 2 percent drop in Q1 ’08. The research firm defines large-sized LCD panels as those having a diagonal dimension of 10in or larger.
According to iSuppli senior director for LCD research Sweta Dash, continuing strong LCD TV sales, strong sales in China in the first quarter and a recovery in notebook panel demand contributed to the increase.
According to Dash, a full recovery in the large-sized LCD panel market should commence in the second half of the year. Global shipments of large-sized LCD panels in the third quarter of 2009 will rise by 28.9 percent compared to the same period in 2008. Shipments in the fourth quarter will growth by 57.1 percent from the same quarter in 2008. For the full year of 2009, large-sized LCD panel shipments will rise to 516.7 million units, up 18.6 percent from 435.7 million units in 2008.
However, large-sized LCD panel revenue for all of 2009 is still expected to decline by 8 percent compared with 2008 due to the below-cost pricing throughout the first half of 2009.
