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Semiconductor equipment bookings reach potential peak
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After one of the most impressive recoveries in semiconductor equipment sales, the latest book-to-bill figures from SEMI could indicate that the sector has reached its cycle peak with August bookings down slightly from July’s high of US$1.86 billion to US$1.81 billion. The book-to-bill ratio also fell, down from 1.23 in July to a provisional 1.17 in August.
With respect to the three-month average of worldwide bookings, figures for August were US$1.82 billion, 1.1% below the final July level of $1.84 billion. However, bookings were still 195.5% higher than the same period a year-ago. The equipment sales recovery had started in May, 2009, according to the SEMI figures.
"While bookings declined slightly in August, 2010 is still on track to be a record growth year for semiconductor equipment,” noted Stanley T. Myers, President and CEO of SEMI.
The three-month average of worldwide billings in August was US$1.55 billion, 3.8% higher that the final July level of US$1.50 billion, and is 167.6% above the August 2009 billings level of US$580.0 million. According to SEMI, these are the highest on record since September 2007.
