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.
SEMCO raised MLCC prices to OEMs/ODMs, signaling an industry upcycle, driven by strong AI server demand and panic buying; Japanese makers' response is key to watch.
AI server demand lifted 2Q26 MLCC shipments; Japan/Korea ran high, Taiwan/China lagged; supply tightens, prices may rise.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics leads MLCC price hikes to OEMs and ODMs, lifting quotes for consumer and AI-grade parts while raising utilization at Taiwanese and Chinese makers, officially starting an industry upcycle despite soft traditional demand from slowing economies.
Geopolitical tension and tight monetary policy keep energy and materials costly, suppressing consumer electronics. Key MLCC inputs remain constrained, while AI servers and data centers drive robust demand, lifting orders and stocking at Asian suppliers. AI platforms ramp, and panic buying spreads to automotive and consumer segments.Supply shortages and price pressure are expected to persist toward year‑end.
Japanese and Korean makers shifting consumer MLCC capacity to AI create supply gaps, benefiting Taiwan and China suppliers with spillover orders and channel price hikes, while consumer demand stays pressured by inflation.
AI demand surges high-end MLCC shipments, prompting Japanese and Korean suppliers to shift consumer-grade capacity, creating gaps that Taiwanese and Chinese firms partially fill. Yet geopolitical risks, high rates, and economic slowdown continue weighing on consumer electronics, resulting in an "AI-strong, consumer-weak" market polarization.
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.
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.
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