PC Screen Price-Fall to Slow in Fourth Quarter
618437
Prices of computer screens are expected  to fall by less than 5 percent in the fourth quarter as the  market stabilizes on hopes of a pick-up in demand during the  Christmas season, a U.S.-based research firm said on Tuesday.
405853
(InfoWorld) - Anyone looking to add a bit more memory to their computers won a gift from the DRAM (dynamic RAM) industry. Heavy competition has caused prices to tumble and industry analysts predict further price declines. The contract price of the most widely used DRAM chips, 512Mb, DDR2 (double data rate, second generation) chips that run at 667MHz dropped 12.5 percent from two weeks ago to $1.75 each as of Thursday, a new low for this year according to DRAMeXchange Technology, which runs an online trading site for the chips. That's great news for users for three reasons. DRAM price declines increase the likelihood that PC vendors such as Hewlett-Packard and Dell will add more DRAM to the computers they sell, or offer extra DRAM as an incentive; it give users a chance to buy more DRAM on the cheap; and it generallyÂ spurs memory chip makers to move forward on new technologyÂ that will ultimately increase computing performance. Contract DRAM prices for DDR2-667 chips have plunged 70.5 percent so far this year to the Thursday low. The main reason is because memory chip makers built too many new production lines in anticipationÂ of strong demand for Microsoft's Windows Vista, which requires more DRAM per PC, as well as because stronger DRAM prices in general for the past few years was a sign to some that the market had stabilized, analysts say. DRAM prices may continue to decline a bit further, but downside appears limited, according to Gartner. Today's pricing is at a similar level to the lows reached in May of this year, when DRAM makers refused to sell because the price had hit their cash cost. "However, we may see some activity below this level, because some brokers and distributors who are holding inventory may be prepared to sell at a lower price to clear stock," the market researcher said. Over the years, DRAM makers have tended to place more emphasis on winning market share than on profits, and the current DRAM price declines are symptomatic of their battles. Companies have invested so much money in new factories that the increased output has caused a glut, leading to price declines. Prices for DRAM chips fellÂ almost 40 percent in the first half of this year, compared to the first half of 2006, offsetting a 66 percent increase in unit shipments, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Contract prices are typically renegotiated between DRAM makers and PC vendors every two weeks. Around four fifths of all DRAM is sold by contract, while the rest is sold on the spot market, just like commodities such as oil and gold. Â
535693
DALLAS ---- Dell 's fourth--quarter profits plunged 33 percent because of weak sales of laptops and notebooks, and the personal computer maker still faces an unresolved federal accounting probe, customer service complaints, several shareholder lawsuits and stiff competition from rivals.
762570
Dell on Monday dropped prices on select servers, workstations, desktops, and laptops aimed at corporate customers, saying it was passing along lower component costs to buyers.
497644
Investor's Business Daily - That&#39;s a little softer than the prior reading of 4% and estimates for a 3.9% annual rate. But it&#39;s still the best in a year. Net exports were a little weaker than prior estimates said. Still, trade and business investment offset another sharp drop in home building as well as sluggish consumer spending. Most economists expect slower 2nd-half growth as a credit crunch takes its toll on housing and other sectors.
341016
PC buying uptick won't last. Corporations are upgrading at a normal pace, while consumers who waited for Vista have now made the switch.
625815
Shares of Google Inc. slipped in pre-market trading Thursday after the world's most popular Internet search engine warned for the second time in a week that its fourth-quarter revenue growth rate is likely to slow from previous quarters.
634656
Thanks to a decline in Microsoft shares, the stock portion of the company's offer has dropped. That means that as of now Microsoft is offering less than it was four days ago. To match its original $31 per share offer, Microsoft would have to boost the exc
212184
Profits warning at DSG Slow adoption of Microsoft Vista has hamstrung profits again at DSG, the retail group that owns PC World.â¦
114498
&quot;Every [PC maker] has to deal with this, one way or another,&quot; International Data Corp. analyst Roger Kay said. The problem is that it&#39;s difficult to make money on PCs today, given how cutthroat competition has driven down prices.
568512
PC chip sales continued their record pace in the fourth 2007 quarter, but IDC predicts that a slowing economy will blunt shipments in the first quarter of 2008.
347376
Dell cut prices on some servers and PCs by as much as 22 percent because it&#39;s paying less for parts. The company will pass the savings on components such as memory and liquid crystal displays
54287
DALLAS -- Dell Inc.'s fourth-quarter profits plunged 33 percent because of weak sales of laptops and notebooks, and the computer maker still faces an unresolved federal accounting probe, customer service complaints, several shareholder lawsuits and stiff competition from rivals.
603332
Two weeks ago Reuters released an article suggesting that the PC industry was on the decline. The story referenced a report from technology research company Gartner, which had previously
630382
Prices are likely to drop as more outlets, including PC vendors, get into the market.
612905
Treasury prices slid for a fourth  straight session on Friday, partly as investors unwound bets  the U.S. economy would weaken enough to prompt a slowdown in  Federal Reserve rate hikes.
471443
SINGAPORE : Prices for liquid crystal display monitors have fallen substantially due to oversupply and research house IDC Asia Pacific believes LCD prices could still fall a bit more next year.