[Insights] Memory Spot Price Update: NAND Wafer Prices Keep Climbing, with More Hikes Ahead

According to TrendForce’s latest memory spot price trend report, regarding DRAM, the spot market continues to see an increase in trading activities, mirroring the contract market with strong demand for SK hynix’s DDR5 products. As for NAND flash, the wafer spot market carries on with its price hikes this week, and subsequent wafer prices would continue to climb. Details are as follows:

DRAM Spot Price:

This week, the spot market continues to see an increase in trading activities. Similar to the situation in the contract market, the spot market shows strong demand for SK hynix’s DDR5 products, with DDR5 supply being limited and prices rising. Among all types of DRAM products, DDR5 is experiencing the tightest supply and the largest price increase. As for DDR4 products, demand has risen for certain specifications (i.e., 1Gx16 3200MT/s, 512×16 2400 MT/s, and 512×16 3200MT/s), resulting in slightly higher prices and growth in transaction volumes. However, prices are still weak for other specifications. Overall, DDR4 products have a weaker trading momentum compared with DDR5 products. The average spot price of mainstream chips (i.e., DDR4 1Gx8 3200MT/s) has risen by 0.62% from US$ 1.445 last week to US$ 1.454 this week.

NAND Flash Spot Price:

The wafer spot market carries on with its price hikes this week, where products of lower prices among different capacities are seeing buy orders amidst rather a strong level of purchase sentiment in the overall market. Factories are receiving lower-than-expected stocks due to suppliers’ continuous production controls, which led to the spot supplying end starting to show reluctance in selling previous inventory, followed by constant increases of quotations. The price differences between market participants are currently at a tug of war, and subsequent wafer prices would continue to climb. Spot prices of 512Gb TLC wafers have risen by 2.33% this week, arriving at US$2.500.