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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Justa Werkenstiff who wrote (26010)	11/5/1998 5:29:00 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 70976

A service of Semiconductor Business News, CMP Media Inc. Story posted 4:45 p.m. EDT/1:45 p.m. PDT, 11/5/98 September chip sales increase strongest in eight years, says SIA SAN JOSE -- More good news for the battered semiconductor industry. Chip sales grew 4.2% in September to $10.22 billion compared to $9.82 billion in August, according to the Global Sale Report released today by the Semiconductor Industry Association here. The sales increase was the largest percentage jump for the month of September in eight years, according to SIA president George Scalise. "This increases our optimism for stronger-than-expected sales in the fourth quarter, as it is typically the most active period of the year," he said. Compared to a year ago, September's sales were down 13.5% from the $11.83 billion reported in the same month in 1997. However, the sales increase from August is in line with growing optimism that the current semiconductor slump has bottomed out and that momentum might be building for a full recovery in 1999. Earlier this week, market researcher IC Insights Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz., had estimated a 4.3% increase in September chip sales over August revenues, using a three-month rolling average similar to what is used in the SIA report. Because the month-to-month increase was so strong, IC Insights predicted that it was the beginning of the next growth cycle for the chip industry (see Nov. 3 story). The SIA report showed that all of the world's chip market grew in September over totals recorded for August. In the Americas, chip sales increased 4.0% to $3.44 billion compared to $3.31 billion in August. European semiconductor revenues jumped 6.2% to $2.37 billion vs. $2.23 billion in the previous month. Japan's chip sales were up 1.2% to $2.03 billion in September compared to $2.01 billion, and Asia/Pacific revenues rose 5.3% to $2.38 billion from $2.26 billion in August, according to the report. In comparison to a year ago, Japan's market was 27.9% lower than it was in September 1997--$2.03 billion vs. $2.82 billion last year. Semiconductor sales in the Americas were 12.7% lower in September than the same month last year. European sales were down 0.4% and Asia/Pacific market revenues were 11.4% lower, according to the SIA report, which is based on figures from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization.