RPT-PREVIEW-Asia chipmakers set for Q2 bloodbath

(This is a repeat of an earlier story ahead of Samsung's earnings. Please note Powerchip and Nanya already reported their results.)

* What: Asia chip makers' Q2 earnings

* When: Powerchip, Nanya (July 23), Qimonda (24), Samsung Elec (25), Toshiba (29), Hynix (31), Elpida (Aug 7)

* Big losses seen as memory downturn continues, but Samsung helped by non-chip businesses

By Marie-France Han

SEOUL, July 22 (Reuters) - Asian memory chip makers are set to post steep second-quarter losses as an 18-month supply glut shows no sign of easing, though top-ranked Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) will be shielded by earnings from its screen and mobile phone businesses.

Makers of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), used mainly in personal computers, have been left reeling by a lengthy slump in prices that show no sign yet of fully recovering.

Contract prices of some DRAM chips have risen about 30 percent this year, but that is well short of making up for big losses in 2007, when some prices slumped more than 90 percent.

"The DRAM industry is going to bleed until the first quarter of 2009," said Peter Yu, an analyst at BNP Paribas.