Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Amkor Technology Inc (AMKR) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tech101 who wrote (104)	2/20/1999 6:51:00 PM
From: tech101	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1056

Chip gear index over parity for first time since 1997 A service of Semiconductor Business News, CMP Media Inc. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--For the first time since the fall of 1997, North American suppliers of semiconductor equipment posted a book-to-bill ratio above parity in January, according to new market data released here today by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI). SEMI's book-to-bill ratio jumped up to 1.10 from December's revised 0.97 level, signaling a potential turnaround in the badly battered chip-production equipment industry. While the book-to-bill ratio was higher, the amount investments in chip-production systems remained far below last year's spending levels, according to SEMI's monthly report. "This is the fourth month of sequentially greater order levels," said Stanley Myers, president of SEMI. "Continuing improvement in semiconductor equipment booking figures convey further optimism for the equipment industry. "While we have not seen a rash of announcements for new semiconductor facilities to be built in 1999 and 2000, the January order level indicates that aggressive activity in both fab conversions and backend upgrades for the newest chip designs should continue to improve equipment industry business levels in 1999," Myers added. A book-to-bill ratio of 1.10 means capital equipment suppliers were receiving $110 of new orders for each $100 worth of products shipped. SEMI's three-month average for shipments in January was at $868.0 million. The trade group said the figure is 3% below the December and 41% below the January 1998 level. Three-month average bookings rose to $957.7 million in January, which is 10% higher than in December but 30% lower than in January. semibiznews.com