Chip recovery gains momentum in March, says SIA report
A service of Semiconductor Business News, CMP Media Inc.
Story posted 6:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m., PST, 5/5/99
SAN JOSE--Semiconductor sales continued to strengthen in the first quarter with worldwide revenues climbing 6.7% to $11.16 billion in March compared to $10.46 billion in the same month last year, according to new market data released here today by the Semiconductor Industry Association.
"This month's numbers show signs of continued industry growth and a rebounding Asian Pacific market," said George Scalise, president of the SIA. "We expect worldwide chip sales for 1999 to be in line with our forecasted recovery." Last November, the SIA predicted that total semiconductor revenues would climb 9.1% to $133.4 billion in 1999 after sales fell nearly 10% last year.
Compared to February, chip sales in March were up 2.4%, according to the SIA's three-month moving average.
Chip sales were up in all regional markets during March. Chip sales in the Asian Pacific region rebounded 11.8% to $2.607 billion compared to $2.330 billion in March 1998. Semiconductor revenues in Japan were up 8.1% to $2.419 billion compared to $2.238 billion last year, and in Europe, chip sales increased 3.2% to $2.524 billion vs. $2.447 billion, according to the billings report.
Chip sales in the Americas rose 4.8% to $3.606 billion compared to $3.441 billion in March 1998, according to the SIA report, which is based on input from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization of 70 companies. |
