LCD TV panels posted the highest growth, but continued to fall short of a 5% share of total volume. LCD monitor panels and notebook PC panels aggregately reached 94% of total shipment volume.

While 15" and 17" panels remained the mainstay in LCD monitor panels, 19" and 17" panel shipment volume had the fastest growth. Although notebook PC panel shipments were concentrated around 14.1" and 15", taking up 97% of notebook PC panel shipment volume, 14.1" panel shipment volume was again on the rise. In LCD TVs, 20.1" panels remained the mainstream, reaching approximately 60% of LCD TV panel shipment volume. 

Due to seasonal effects in panel application markets, the first quarter of 2004 saw increased inventories of panels for some applications, sending price on a slide. However, for LCD monitor panels, which comprise the largest shipment share, demand continued to outstrip supply; prices for mainstream panel sizes thus continued to grow. Moreover, LCD TV panels, which have higher unit price, registered a sequential growth in shipment volume. These factors made Taiwanese panel ASP (Average Selling Price) climb 6% sequentially, reaching US$253. Boosted by growing prices and shipment volume, shipment value also rose 16% sequentially, reaching approximately US$3.1 billion.

In the second quarter of 2004, Taiwanese large size panel shipment volume is expected to increase as fifth-generation line yield rates steadily improve. Nevertheless, planned production volume may be hindered by mother glass shortages, and the second quarter is traditionally a slow PC retail season. As a result, shipment volume and value growth of Taiwanese large size panels is expected to slow.