Murata Manufacturing has started mass production of 7 types of automotive MLCCs featuring the world's largest capacitance. These components target autonomous driving and power supply applications. Neutral: The launch indicates supply expansion but lacks specific volume data to impact pricing.
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. plans to decouple from China's rare earth supply within three years to mitigate supply chain risks. This strategic move is likely to increase production costs and tighten supply for MLCCs, creating a bullish outlook for the automotive component market.
Murata has completed a new JPY 47 billion MLCC production building in Izumo, Japan, adding nearly 70,000 sqm of floor space. This is part of a global strategy to geographically diversify and increase MLCC production capacity to meet medium- to long-term demand. Bearish: This planned capacity expansion adds to global MLCC supply, potentially easing structural tightness and exerting downward pressure on prices over the medium term.
PC supply chain managers report broad-based price increases and supply constraints extending beyond memory chips to PCBs, plastics, and resins, with PCB lead times stretching from six weeks to six months. The pressure stems from a combination of AI infrastructure demand, limited capacity, Chinese rare earth export controls, and geopolitical tensions. Bullish: This indicates sustained upward pressure on component costs across multiple non-core material categories, directly impacting procurement costs.
Japanese equipment maker Rix plans to mass-produce advanced cleaning tools for 2.5D/3D packaging by 2026, targeting the AI chip packaging boom. The tools are designed to clean ultra-narrow gaps in advanced packages like CoWoS. Neutral: This is a long-term capacity addition for a niche tool segment, with no immediate impact on component supply or pricing.
Murata plans to separate its China rare earth operations within 3 years to mitigate geopolitical risk. As the supplier of ~40% of global MLCCs, this strategic move aims to optimize supply chain resilience. Traders should monitor potential shifts in supply risk and pricing implications.
Murata plans to decouple its rare earth supply from China within three years. This strategic move aims to mitigate geopolitical risks and ensure supply chain security. Watch: Potential long-term cost implications and supply stability shifts.
Murata Manufacturing plans to decouple its China-based rare earth supply chain over three years to mitigate geopolitical risks, as China's export restrictions on critical minerals intensify. The company, which holds ~40% global MLCC share, is evaluating non-China sources but notes full replacement may not be feasible.
Long-term supply chain diversification could stabilize MLCC supply; 利空: Near-term transition costs and material qualification risks may pressure margins.
Murata Manufacturing announced price hikes across four product categories effective April 1. Following rising costs in memory and logic chips, this signals a potential broader industry trend. Bullish for MLCC suppliers as costs are passed to customers.
Murata Manufacturing confirms price hikes for MLCC and related components effective April 1, 2026, driven by surging demand in AI and EV sectors. Samsung Electro-Mechanics is also reportedly raising prices. This signals a bullish trend for high-end MLCC supply.
A market report forecasts the global current sensor market to grow from $3.03B in 2025 to $7.96B by 2035, at a 10.14% CAGR, driven by EV and renewable energy adoption. The report lists key players and segments the market by technology and application. Neutral: This is a long-term market projection with no immediate trading implications for component pricing or supply.
Murata and TDK plan to raise inductor prices by over 100% in 2026, affecting ferrite beads and high-frequency inductors. This signals a new price-hike cycle for global passive components. Bullish: Prices are expected to surge significantly.
SNS Insider forecasts the global RF components market to grow from $48.86B in 2025 to $174.05B by 2035, at a 13.89% CAGR, driven by 5G, IoT, and automotive electronics. The report identifies key players and segments the market by component type, material, and application. Neutral: This is a generic long-term market projection report with no actionable trading data on current supply, demand, or pricing.
ROHM will license TSMC's GaN process technology to establish an in-house production system by 2027, aiming to strengthen supply for AI servers and EVs. This deepens their existing partnership but concludes their specific automotive GaN collaboration. Watch: This vertical integration could improve supply stability for GaN devices in the medium term, but the 2027 timeline delays direct impact.
MLCC prices are set to surge as Japanese and Korean manufacturers, including Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Murata, face full capacity utilization driven by AI data center demand. Samsung Electro-Mechanics is shifting its strategy from volume to pricing, while Murata has signaled potential price hikes as early as March 2026. Bullish: Direct price pressure from constrained supply and strategic manufacturer focus on margins.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics is reportedly considering a double-digit percentage price increase for MLCCs in April, with Murata also signaling potential hikes. This move extends AI-driven pricing dynamics from the memory sector into passive components. Bullish: Direct upward pressure on MLCC prices from major suppliers.
Demand for high-end MLCCs in AI servers remains robust, with premium lines at high utilization. However, overall MLCC capacity is underutilized due to weak consumer demand, creating a polarized market. Neutral: Leading suppliers are prioritizing price stabilization over initiating a broad price-up cycle.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics is reportedly planning a double-digit percentage price hike for its MLCCs starting in April, driven by strong AI server and EV demand. Market leader Murata Manufacturing has also signaled a potential price increase in March, with customer inquiries reportedly running at twice its supply capacity. Bullish: Direct price pressure on high-end MLCCs due to structural demand surge from AI infrastructure, though the broader market remains polarized.
Murata Manufacturing is considering price increases for high-end MLCCs used in AI servers as orders have doubled capacity, indicating severe supply-demand imbalance. The surge is driven by explosive demand from AI server builds, outstripping the specialized production capacity for these components. Bullish: Direct upward pressure on MLCC pricing and potential allocation tightening for procurement.
The PC industry is facing component price hikes and a 'crowding-out effect' from booming AI data center demand, which is sustaining strong order momentum for suppliers like Murata and Samsung Electro-Mechanics. Murata's February book-to-bill ratio remained resilient at 0.99, while regional averages for Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese suppliers were 0.9, 0.81, and 0.82 respectively.
AI demand is diverting capacity and sustaining prices for passive components, creating mixed signals for PC vs. data center supply chains.
Whose chips are really inside the hottest new products? We open them up and show you, one part at a time.
iPhone DuoFirst-pass BOM: 37 parts, 12 brands and 16 public MPNs; A20 Pro, C2, N1 and the power/RF chains are located, while the NAND brand stays unconfirmed.See the full teardownAll teardowns| Analog | $0.68 | −5.9% |
|---|---|---|
| Connector | $0.75 | +0.2% |
| CPU | $386.74 | −21.3% |
| DDR4 | $88.40 | −0.2% |
| DDR52026-W13 | $14.89 | −11.2% |
| GPU | $478.20 | +8.2% |
| MCU | $0.68 | −61.7%Unusual |
| MLCC | $0.01 | +54.0%Unusual |
| MOSFET | $0.12 | −82.8%Unusual |
| PMIC2026-W13 | $0.44 | −12.5% |
| SSD/HDD | $288.43 | n/a |