Asustek Computer and Gigabyte Technology will increase motherboard retail prices in the China market in February to cope with potential foreign exchange losses arising from large fluctuations in exchange rate between the Chinese Yuan (CNY) and US dollar, according to industry sources.
Asustek and Gigabyte will hike retail prices by an average of 3%, and for high-end models by 5%, the sources said.
Other Taiwan-based vendors, mainly ASRock, Micro-Star International and Biostar Microtech International, as well as China-based vendor Colorful Technology and Development are expected to follow suit, the sources noted.
An estimated 26 million own-brand motherboards were shipped in the China market in 2015, shrinking 7.1% on year, and Asustek and Gigabyte each shipped over nine million units, the sources indicated. In 2015, Asustek and Gigabyte globally shipped about 20 million and 17.1 million units, respectively.
