Chips and putt - The Antenna - Semiconductor Industry Association's report on worldwide semiconductor sales - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Electronic News, June 3, 2002

THERE ARE PLENTY OF MIXED SIGNALS OUT THERE ABOUT how business is doing, but worldwide semiconductor sales showed a promising increase in April, passing the $11 billion mark, said the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

Worldwide sales of semiconductors totaled $11.1 billion in April, rising 3.1 percent from $10.7 billion in sales for March, according to new figures from the SIA. April marked the second straight month of growth for the industry, and it was led-no surprise here--by the wireless sector. All regions showed growth in April, but sales were still significantly lower in all regions, except the Asia/Pacific region, when compared to the year-ago period. Still, given the current state of things, any growth is good.

Meanwhile, the domestic printed circuit board book-to-bill ratio slipped again in April to 0.94. Big ouch.