IBM may be close to self-sufficiency in 1M-bit memory chips for the Personal System/2 line, but overall it is clearly not there yet – and agressive buying of the parts by IBM is being blamed for a steady rise in the price on the Tokyo spot market. According to Newsbytes, IBM has been ordering 1Ms from the major Japanese manufacturers since May, and this is believed to have diverted parts that would otherwise have ended up on the spot market, exacerbating the severe shortage. And the Ministry of International Trade & Industry sees no easing of the shortfall in 256Ks this year.
