Global channel inventories of TV rose to four weeks in March, up from 2.5 weeks in January. For notebooks, inventories increased to 4.8 weeks in March, up from 3.5 weeks in January. Inventories of monitors increased to 4 weeks in March, up from 2.5 in January. Most of these inventories increased again in April, according to iSuppli.

Inventories of most electronic products using large-size LCD panels increased in March and April due to slower sales of some older models and the arrival of new products from TV and notebook brands, spurring a price reduction.

In the US, TV brands have been introducing new 3D models. The price differential between equivalent-featured LED-backlit LCD TVs and LED-backlit 3D TVs has narrowed to as little as US$300, spurring consumer demand. Brands will continue to introduce 3D TVs globally through July.

Brands in the US also continue to add new LED-backlit LCD TVs. The number of LED-based LCD TV models reached more than 140 in March, more than double the number of models in February.

While notebook shipments in the first quarter of 2010 were down a few percentage points from the fourth quarter of 2009, shipments in the second quarter are expected to be flat due to the introduction of new models. Most brands are expecting a huge second half of the year given the continued economic recovery and the high adoption rate of Windows 7. Inventories of notebooks rose in the first quarter to meet this expected demand.

LCD monitor sales slowed in March following a strong start to the beginning of the first quarter, leading to an increase in channel inventories. The price increases witnessed during the first three months of the year for LCD panels are causing some concern among LCD monitor panel suppliers and OEMs.

Although panel suppliers are controlling LCD module inventory very closely, the slowdown of panel demand from China buyers raised the inventory level slightly.
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