[Code Monkey]

Oh the perils of cookie jar desire. Could this mean that prices will be coming down? That's what I'm thinking.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Fair trade watchdogs from Japan, the European Union, South Korea and the United States have launched probes into major manufacturers of liquid crystal display panels on suspicion they may have formed an international price cartel, according to industry sources.


Japanese and South Korean fair trade commissions suspect that LCD makers in the two countries as well as in Taiwan have manipulated the sale price of a number of products--a violation of antimonopoly laws.


The U.S. Justice Department has sent subpoenas to these manufacturers while the EU's European Commission asked LCD makers to provide information about the suspected cartel.


According to the sources, about 10 manufacturers in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have been investigated.


In Japan, the companies include Sharp Corp. based in Osaka; Seiko Epson Corp. based in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture; Toshiba Matsu****a Display Technology Co. based in Minato Ward, Tokyo; NEC LCD Technologies Ltd. based in Kawasaki; Hitachi Displays Ltd. based in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, which is Hitachi Ltd.'s subsidiary; and IPS Alpha Technology Ltd., a Mobara, Chiba Prefecture-based joint venture of Hitachi, Toshiba Corp. and Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co.


The foreign firms include South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co., which holds the largest global market share for LCD products; LG. Philips LCD Co. of South Korea, and Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp.


According to sources, the manufacturers are suspected of conspiring to prevent a drop in prices for popular products relating to television and personal computer screens.

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