US Stock Market Move | Computer hardware stocks fell before the market opened. Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C Technology (DELL.US) dropped more than 4%.

On Thursday, computer hardware stocks fell before the market opened, with Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C (DELL.US) dropping over 4% and HP Inc. (HPQ.US) falling over 3%. Analysts have said that from the first quarter to the fourth quarter of 2025, the cost of mainstream PC memory and storage has increased by about 40% to 70%, and this cost increase has been passed on to consumers. The core issue lies in capacity allocation: memory manufacturers are focusing on higher-profit server-level DRAM and HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) required for AI infrastructure, leading to a shortage of ordinary DDR memory for laptops and desktops. PC manufacturers have warned that consumers may face difficulties in 2026: the problem is not with CPU or GPU shortages, but the industry is facing a memory shortage crisis this will increase material costs and force manufacturers to make awkward configuration choices. For large OEMs like Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C and Lenovo, they must either choose to pay higher costs and raise product prices, or keep prices unchanged while reducing product specifications. IDC research manager Jitesh Ubrani stated that if PC shipments decline by 9% in 2026, total shipments will drop to around 260 million units, slightly lower than the approximately 263.3 million units in 2024, and close to the level in 2023 "one of the worst years in PC history."