Chip sales are up in August, says SIA
SAN JOSE -- Worldwide chip sales picked up by 1.5% in August compared to July,
according to the Semiconductor Industry Association's Global Sales Report released
today. Despite a continued sales slump in Japan, where single-month revenues are 30%
below their August 1997 levels, the chip industry is beginning to see signs of a pickup in
business (see story in the Oct. 1 publication).
At $9.81 billion, August's sales were $147 million ahead of July's sales of $9.66 billion,
making August the first month in 1998 to show positive month-to-month sales growth,
the report. On a year-to-year comparison, global sales for August were 15.7% lower
than the $11.63 billion sales figure recorded in August 1997.
"Given all of the volatility in the global markets, these numbers are a positive sign for the
semiconductor industry," said SIA President George Scalise. "We are cautiously
optimistic about the industry's prospects for additional gains in the fourth quarter,
because it's traditionally the most active chip quarter of the year."
According to the SIA, global chip sales have consistently increased on a
month-to-month basis from August through December since 1994.
Modest month-to-month gains were made in the Americas (3.4%), European (0.7%)
and Asia-Pacific markets (3.1%). Sales in Japan decreased 2.2% from July, showing
the continued impact of currency depreciation. In yen, chip revenues declined only 0.1%
in Japan.
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