Taiwan average LCD panel utilization rate drop to 50% in 4Q, says paper

WitsView estimates Taiwan LCD panel makers' utilization rate has dropped to 50% in the fourth quarter, with AU Optronics (AUO)'s average utilization being only about 50%, while Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO)'s average utilization rate is below 50% and Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT)'s average utilization rate is 30%, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (END) report.

HannStar claim to have average utilization rate of 50% in the fourth quarter, according to the report.

In the report, the research firm estimates that Korean LCD panel makers' average utilization rate maintain about 85-90% in the fourth quarter, and will drop to 70-75% in the first quarter 2009.