CapEx to grow 15% in '03, says IC Insights
By Mark LaPedus, Semiconductor Business News
Apr 17, 2003 (1:04 PM)
URL: siliconstrategies.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Worldwide capital spending in the semiconductor industry is expected reach $31.9 billion in 2003, a 15 percent growth rate over 2002, according to a new report from IC Insights Inc. here today (April 17, 2003).
In total, worldwide capital spending in the IC industry is expected to hit $44.7 billion by 2007, a compound annual growth rate of 5.2 percent, according to the Scottsdale-based research firm.
In 2003, the IC capital spending figure will mirror the overall growth rate in the worldwide semiconductor industry, said Bill McClean, president of IC Insights.
McClean is sticking to his most recent forecast in the IC industry, saying the market will grow by 15 percent in 2003 over 2002. “Our comfort zone is 10- to 15-percent [in terms of worldwide growth in the IC industry],” he said.
IC units are expected to grow by 11 percent in 2003 over 2002, but there is still the major unknown in terms of average selling prices (ASPs), he said. “We have to see what will happen to the overall average selling prices,” he said.
But judging by the numbers in the first quarter of 2003 and projections in the second quarter, the worldwide IC market has been stagnant at best.
In total, the IC market was down by 3- to 4-percent in the first quarter of 2003 over the fourth quarter of 2002. “We would call [the second quarter] flat,” he said. “We're looking at a better second half,” he said.
Still, there are some uncertainties in the marketplace, namely the impact of the war in Iraq and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), he added. |
