Some good news:
Despite Dip, Semi Association Is
Bullish On Chip Sales
(05/08/98; 11:30 a.m. ET)
By Bettyann Liotta, Electronic Buyers' News
Despite a continued glut of memory devices on the global
market, the Semiconductor Industry Association is
maintaining its growth predictions for the chip industry as
a whole.
In its monthly report, the SIA said worldwide
semiconductor sales exceeded $10.42 billion in March,
representing a 1 percent dip from February and a decline
of 4.9 percent from March 1997.
On a month-to-month basis, the Asia-Pacific sector
appeared to be staving off the worst of a severe
economic crisis as it posted modest growth of 0.7
percent. Europe also fared comparatively well, growing
by 0.4 percent. The U.S. market, on the other hand, fell
by 3.4 percent from February, while Japan declined by
0.1 percent.
"The chip industry is cyclical; however, the long-term
trend is one of impressive growth," said SIA president
George Scalise. "We have enjoyed a 17 percent
compound annual growth rate from 1959 through 1997.
Likewise, we're optimistic that sales will return to
historical growth patterns in 1999 as unit demand
continues to increase, and supply and demand come into
better balance."
The SIA's midyear World Semiconductor Trade
Statistics forecast, which will be released in June, is
expected to forecast year-end global sales of at least
$145 billion, which the association said is an all-time high.
|
