June, 2009 semiconductor sales reached US$17.2 billion, an increase of 3.7% from May when sales were US$16.6 billion, the fourth consecutive month when sales increased, according to the latest figures from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).
“The fourth-consecutive monthly increase in sales is one indicator the industry is returning to normal seasonal growth patterns,” said SIA President George Scalise. “Inventories have been closely managed, encouraging us to believe that the sequential increase in quarterly sales represents a gradual recovery of demand.”
However, Scalise noted that the timing and rate of return to normal growth patterns was still dependent on the macro-economic recovery. The SIA reported year-to-date sales of US$95.9 billion, which were 25% the first six months of 2008, when sales were US$127.5 billion.
Japan and North America continued to show the fastest growth in IC sales. Japan grew 8.2% month-on-month while North America grew 4.8%. All regions showed growth, the weakest being Europe with only a 0.7% increase from June, 2009.