[ti:Chip Shortage Turns into Surplus] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]The coronavirus pandemic left makers of [00:02.88]personal computers, smartphones, and cars [00:06.96]without the computer chips needed to make their products. [00:11.76]That suddenly changed [00:13.52]during a period of three weeks from late May to June. [00:19.12]High inflation, China's latest COVID restrictions [00:23.52]and the war in Ukraine have reduced consumer spending [00:28.28]-- especially on computers and smartphones. [00:33.24]Chip shortages turned into a surplus in some industries. [00:38.28]By late June, memory chip company Micron Technology Inc. [00:44.52]said it would reduce production. [00:47.68]The sudden change in the market caught Micron by surprise, [00:52.00]said Chief Business Officer Sumit Sadana. [00:56.32]Worries about an industry recession [00:59.20]have severely affected computer chip stocks. [01:03.96]The Philadelphia Semiconductor index [01:06.88]has fallen 35 percent so far in 2022. [01:12.88]That is far more than the S&P 500's 19 percent loss. [01:19.96]Hoarding is making the situation worse. [01:23.76]Hoarding is the practice of collecting [01:27.16]or storing a large amount of something. [01:31.44]Many manufacturers stored a large number of [01:35.12]computer chips during the pandemic. [01:38.84]Before that, those manufacturers ordered parts [01:43.00]as close to production time as possible [01:46.04]to avoid having extra supplies [01:48.88]and to reduce storage space and spending. [01:53.32]Experts say the computer chip surplus [01:56.52]has hit unevenly across business areas. [02:01.04]Big suppliers of chips to electronics makers [02:04.88]will be hit hardest by the decline, [02:07.32]said semiconductor expert Tristan Gerra. [02:11.72]Computer chip design company Nvidia Corp [02:15.60]could be hit especially hard [02:17.56]as prices continue to fall, Gerra added. [02:22.32]Nvidia produces graphic chips used for gaming [02:26.76]and the digital money known as cryptocurrency. [02:31.24]Among those least affected by a surplus [02:34.52]are Apple Inc's suppliers like Taiwan(China) Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, [02:40.84]said computer chip expert Matt Bryson. [02:45.32]Demand remains high for Apple devices. [02:50.32]Industry executives and experts cannot say [02:54.00]how many surplus chips are in storerooms around the world. [03:00.16]But industry expert Mark Lipacis said supply numbers [03:05.12]for the first three months of 2022 hit a record high [03:09.80]at major electronics manufacturing services companies. [03:14.88]The earlier record was over 20 years ago. [03:18.40]Manufacturers may decide to use up chips in storerooms [03:24.48]instead of buying new ones, and cancel orders, Lipacis warned. [03:30.84]Some experts said automobile chipmakers are safe for now. [03:36.00]But that may not last long. [03:40.24]Industry expert Stacy Rasgon told Reuters [03:44.24]that automakers were ordering far more chips [03:47.92]than they appeared to need. [03:50.68]That will create a problem when vehicle makers [03:54.04]stop buying chips to use up their current supplies. [03:59.24]I'm Jonathan Evans. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM