Core Insights - The article discusses the recent surge in gold prices, which has reached a new high of $3,400 per ounce, impacting the semiconductor industry, particularly the panel driver IC packaging sector [1] - Major packaging companies, Chipbond and Nanmao, are expected to raise their prices in response to increased material costs due to rising gold prices [1] - The geopolitical situation has reduced competition among driver IC manufacturers, allowing them to pass on costs and mitigate the impact of rising gold prices on profit margins [1][2] Group 1: Price Adjustments and Market Dynamics - Chipbond, the largest driver IC packaging company, has significant orders from major clients like Apple and Sony, and is likely to reflect the increased material costs in its pricing [1] - Nanmao also holds substantial orders in the driver IC packaging process and is expected to adjust its packaging prices despite maintaining stable foundry prices [1] - The article notes that the price competition among packaging companies has been intense, but the current situation allows for cost reflection due to reduced competition [1][2] Group 2: Demand Surge and Financial Performance - The semiconductor industry is experiencing a surge in urgent orders, particularly from laptop brands, as companies prepare for potential tariffs and supply chain uncertainties [4] - Chipbond reported a consolidated revenue of 1.83 billion TWD in March, marking a 9.16% month-on-month increase and a 19.5% year-on-year increase, indicating a recovery in performance [4] - Nanmao also benefited from the surge in urgent orders, achieving a consolidated revenue of 2.03 billion TWD in March, a 15.7% month-on-month increase and a 5.09% year-on-year increase [5] Group 3: Future Outlook - Both companies anticipate that demand will become clearer in the second half of the year, with expectations of better performance compared to the first half [5] - However, Nanmao acknowledges the competitive challenges in the low-end product market and plans to carefully manage capital expenditures based on actual capacity utilization and customer demand [5]