The global price for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and NAND flash memory chips is anticipated to maintain growth throughout the rest of 2018, industry watchers said Tuesday, casting a brighter outlook over South Korean chipmakers' earnings.

According to the data compiled by industry tracker DRAMeXchange, the average contract price of a DDR 4GB module came to US$34 at end-April, up from $33 posted a month earlier. The price of the DD4 4Gb product also advanced 3.4 percent over the cited period.

"In terms of flagship products, the price of DRAM and NAND flash chips has not fallen since May 2016," an industry insider said. "Although we need to take a wait-and-see stance on supply in the future, the current trend indicates that the industrial boom will continue for the time being.

"The prediction made by investment banks that Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. will continue to post record operating profits throughout the end of this year was also based on such a forecast," the insider added.

For the January-March period this year, Samsung Electronics' crucial chip business saw its operating profit reach 11.55 trillion won (US$10.7 billion), rising sharply from 6.31 trillion won posted a year earlier, the company said.

SK hynix also said its second-quarter operating profit increased 77 percent on-year to 4.36 trillion won.

By: DocMemory
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