DRAM / DDR5
Upward price pressure on DRAM is accelerating beyond earlier forecasts. One analyst revision now projects average selling prices rising 21% quarter-on-quarter in Q3, exceeding prior TrendForce guidance (Odaily). Meritz Securities separately cites Middle Eastern sovereign AI investors negotiating mid-to-long-term storage procurement directly with Korean manufacturers, with Q3 contract prices expected up more than 15% QoQ (Bitget News). DDR5 module spot prices have hit record highs, with China-made dies narrowing the price gap to established suppliers — a dynamic worth monitoring for contract negotiations (Digitimes). The structural driver is well-documented: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have redirected capacity toward HBM and AI server DRAM, effectively deprioritizing PC-segment supply (Benzinga). ADATA has warned the resulting DRAM tightness could persist for up to a decade (TechSpot).
NAND / SSD
The NAND picture is less severe but still constrained through end of 2026. AI-driven server demand — particularly for high-density enterprise SSDs — is absorbing capacity that would otherwise relieve the consumer and client SSD markets (Noah Intelligence). TrendForce projects supply growth will outpace demand in 2027, pointing toward a market shift (TrendForce; Notebookcheck; Tweaktown). The SSD index holding near 98.6 reflects current stability, but procurement teams should not treat that as a signal of durability into H2.
Procurement Guidance
DDR5: Lock in contract volumes now if Q3–Q4 refreshes are planned. Spot and contract prices are both moving upward with significant analyst consensus behind continued increases. SSD/NAND: No immediate spike risk in the index today, but the 2027 rebalance thesis assumes AI server demand does not continue to surprise to the upside — a meaningful caveat given current sovereign AI spending trends.