TV panel prices plunge in June DetailsEditor | 05 July 2019 Even though the recent G20 saw a thaw in relations between the US and China, research from WitsView has shown that TV brands have been engaging in pre-emptive stocking in the second quarter of 2019 due to fears of a 25% tariff to be placed into effect in Q3Making matters worse said the report was Samsung Display's (SDC) decision to shut down its Gen 8.5 L8-1-1 plant which caused TV panel prices to plunge in June to unforeseeable financial, technological and other considerations.WitsView view believes that end distributors' inventories of TV sets have already become bloated beyond saving in June, and brands' panel inventories have already reached what it calls dangerous levels. Although some panel manufacturers were found to be making small adjustments to production capacity in June and July, the analyst said that there was no turning back from the oversupply situation.WitsView concluded that as demand stays weak and production capacity pressures continue to rise, negotiating power for TV panel prices in 3Q will probably remain firmly in the hands of buyers.The calculations by the research firm show that 32-inch panel prices have dropped by over US$4 in one fell swoop under the weak demand and climbing inventory levels of June, arriving at US$36.In addition it found that due to a drastic fall in prices for 65-inch TV sets