Hynix sees better memory market in H2

TOKYO (Reuters) - Hynix Semiconductor Inc (000660.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the world's No. 2 memory chip maker, expects a more favorable memory chip market in the second half after seeing a 30 percent rebound in some key computer memory chip prices in recent months, an executive said on Thursday.

"We are cautiously optimistic about the second half," O.C. Kwon, Hynix's senior vice president of strategic planning, told the Reuters Global Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit.

"The worst cycle of the market is already behind us. In the second half, there will be a more favorable balance."

The dynamic random access memory (DRAM) industry, which has suffered a prolonged slump, is finally bottoming out with leading makers No. 1 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Hynix seeing a rebound in contract prices since April.

The recovery is expected to continue thanks to makers' moves to rein in investment and difficulties in migrating into the next production technologies, Kwon said.

Kwon said the company's capital expenditure will likely rise in 2009 from this year's 2.6 trillion won ($2.5 billion) but the increase will likely be limited.

(For more on the Reuters Global Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit, see ID:nL1919425)

(For summit blog: summitnotebook.reuters.com/)

($1=1036.2 Won)

(Reporting by Rhee So-eui and Marie-France Han)