did gartner figure out the world is not flat and there is life beyond Budweiser and McDonold.
Gartner raises IC forecast
Mark LaPedus
Page 1 of 3
EE Times
(06/01/2008 6:12 PM EDT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Bucking the trend in the industry, Gartner Inc. has raised its worldwide IC forecast from 3.4 percent to 4.6 percent for 2008.
The IC industry is now projected to hit $287 billion in 2008, up from $274 billion in 2007, according to Gartner (Stamford, Conn.).
Richard Gordon, an analyst with Gartner, said that the firm raised the IC forecast, because the market remains stable despite the economic climate and concerns. Global sales for semiconductors were seasonally normal in the first quarter, thanks to a strong PC and cell-phone market, he said.
In March, citing a weak demand picture and slumping chip prices, Gartner cut its worldwide IC forecast by nearly half. In December, Gartner said that the overall IC market would grow by 6.2 percent in 2008 over 2007. In March, the firm said the semiconductor market would grow only 3.4 percent in 2008.
Gartner is bucking the trend. Last week, the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) group cut its IC forecast by nearly half. The global semiconductor market is expected to grow by 4.7 percent to $267.7 billion in 2008, according to the WSTS. In 2007, the IC market grew 3.2 percent.
The current projections have been reduced by 4.4 percentage points compared to the forecast that WSTS issued in November last year, ''mainly due to a weak fourth quarter 2007,'' according to the group. |
