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

To: Gottfried who wrote (30118)	5/13/1999 2:30:00 PM
From: klaus pluszynski	Respond to of 70976

Gottfried, the grouping in my table is based on the MGFS industry groups, which can be found at stocksheet.com I have simply taken the MGFS groups and selected the five stocks with the largest market cap for each of the groups quoted. Re.This looks like an attempt to boost a group [semi equips] that has already risen more than 100 % from its lows. Admitted, I'm long a few semi eq. stocks. And Briefing.com names the semi eq. as one of the strong sectors today, just after my post <vbg>. But my post is purely factual. Your interpretation of the numbers may of course differ from mine. With respect to the DD sector, I'd say the DDX has been beaten up so badly the last months that one can expect at least a technical reaction. But as Ian has pointed out, SEG, QNTM and WDC are to a large degree commodity plays. As they have strong competitors in Asia, I'd watch the $/yen relation closely. Once the yen starts appreciating vs. the $ again, those stocks should fly. Just my $.02 Klaus

To: Gottfried who wrote (30118)	5/13/1999 2:54:00 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

Taiwan's Consumer-Use IC Makers See Rising Demand in Q2 May 13, 1999 (TAIPEI) -- Demand for ICs for consumer products has been increasing in the second quarter, boosting sales of Taiwan-based IC manufacturers such as Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd., Elan Microelectronics Corp. and Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. This has occurred against the backdrop of a weak market for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) microchips. Some six-in. wafer plants, which are operating at full capacity, have even had to turn down orders. And Sunplus Technology's microcontroller voice IC for the popular "Furby" toy continues to enjoy brisk demand. Elan Microelectronics said it has witnessed strong demand for voice ICs and others since March, and factory schedules are full until June. However, the two companies said that supplies of six-in. wafers have been tight since March, and deliveries are often delayed. Local eight-in. wafer plants are able to accept more orders. But due to considerations of technology and cost, six-in. wafers are still the favorite of consumer-use IC makers here. In Taiwan, only Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC), United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), and Mosel Vitelic Inc. offer six-in. wafer foundry services. Most of the larger consumer IC makers here have either invested in wafer foundries or formed strategic alliances with foreign heavyweight companies, in an attempt to sustain their leadership in the market amid competition with the growing number of smaller rivals. However, this has reduced the room for development of smaller IC-design companies. Sources in the consumer IC design sector said that several new design firms could be forced to shut down in the near future. (Commercial Times, Taiwan) nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com