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Strong demand for AI servers and in‑house chip platforms is driving structural shortages in high‑end and mid‑high‑cap MLCCs. Inflation and high interest rates are suppressing end‑market consumption, forcing brands such as Apple to raise product prices and undermining the peak‑season outlook for PCs and smartphones. With SEMCO and Taiyo shifting capacity toward AI‑oriented specifications, inventories remain low, while distributors and agents have increased quotations. The market is showing a pattern of “weak demand, firm prices,” and pressure on lead times and pricing is set to intensify in the second half of the year.
CapEx figures, production capacity figures, and inventory levels of MLCC suppliers are constantly being tracked and updated on a regular basis. TrendForce also provides analyses on the price trends and inventory statuses of production-related materials.
AI capacity crowding tightens high-end MLCC supply while consumer demand weakens under inflation. Channels and some Taiwanese/Chinese makers selectively raise prices, yet Japanese and Korean firms hold steady, leaving Q3 MLCC pricing uncertain.
AI-driven demand is crowding out capacity and pressuring MLCC supply, while high interest rates and inflation weigh on consumer electronics recovery. Distributor hoarding and price hikes have triggered preemptive ordering across notebook, automotive, and Apple supply chains. Japanese and Korean suppliers’ book-to-bill ratios have reached post-pandemic highs, signaling rising shortage risks for high-end MLCC.
Strong AI demand concentrates high-end MLCC specifications while weak consumer electronics shift capacity toward AI servers. CSP custom ASICs trigger frequent design changes, tightening supply and extending lead times. Structural imbalance intensifies in the second half, elevating shortage risks by Q4; ODMs should accelerate strategic inventory buildup.
AI demand tightens high-end MLCC supply, prompting agents to raise prices and strengthening supplier bargaining power. Geopolitical risks and inflation raise costs, curbing ODM leverage, with high-end MLCC prices likely to rise moderately in 2H.
AI infrastructure demand offsets consumer electronics weakness, boosting Japanese and Korean MLCC suppliers' recent revenue and profits. High-end products face tight supply while mid-low tiers see artificial shortages, creating polarized market conditions as makers shift capacity focus.
US-Iran stalemate and rising inflation weaken consumer electronics demand, while AI server and data center investments remain the core driver for tech sector growth, creating a differentiated supply chain with stronger high-end component demand.
Under inflation and warfare, global economy faces uncertainty; Middle East conflicts disrupt supply chains, high energy prices elevate living costs and inflation expectations. Consumer confidence is low, suppressing purchasing power. Electronics demand weakens, ODMs suffer key material shortages like CPUs, reducing output; yet AI demand surges, shifting capacity and triggering channel precautionary stockpiling, creating supply-demand mismatch. High-end MLCC pricing pressure forms.
US-Iran conflict escalates energy costs and inflation, impacting global supply chains via AI demand and geopolitics. Passive component sector faces capacity shifts; Japanese-Korean suppliers pivot to high-end AI, while weak consumer demand sparks pricing divergences, with some testing moderate hikes for profit optimization.
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