- Another positive month for chip sales. Worldwide sales of semiconductors in July were $18.2 billion, an increase of 5.3 percent from June 2009, when sales were $17.2 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported. SIA noted that the year-on-year rate of decline has moderated as the year has progressed. The first six months of 2009 saw an average monthly year-on-year decline of approximately 25 percent, while July 2009 sales were 18.2 percent lower than July 2008.
- SIA president cites chip sales for mobile phones and netbooks as key components to growth. "The fifth consecutive month of sequential increases in semiconductor sales reflects improving demand in the consumer sector," said SIA President George Scalise. "Sales of consumer products such as netbook PCs and cell phones are supporting the modest recovery in demand that is now under way. Purchases of information technology products by the enterprise sector continue to be tempered by caution and longer replacement cycles. There is also evidence of a return to seasonal industry patterns," Scalise concluded.
- Computer server sales down 30 percent in second quarter. The global market for computer servers crashed in the second quarter of this year, with sales falling 30 percent to the lowest level in 13 years, according to the industry research firm IDC, although analysts for the company said they're seeing signs of recovery recently.
- Book-to-bill ratio pushes above 1.0. North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $599.0 million in orders in August 2009 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.03, according to the August 2009 Book-to-Bill Report published today by SEMI. A book-to-bill of 1.03 means that $103 worth of orders was received for every $100 of product billed for the month. The bookings figure is about 5 percent greater than the final July 2009 level of $571.8 million, and about 31 percent less than the $866.8 million in orders posted in August 2008.
