Asia-Pacific region continues YoY chip sales growth

The three-month average for global chip sales in February was $23.25 billion, an increase of 1.4 per cent from February 2012 when sales were $22.93 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). However, the year-on-year growth occurred in the America's region – 1.6 per cent – and the Asia-Pacific region – 6.7 per cent – with Europe's sales falling 1.5 per cent and Japan's falling by 15.7 per cent.

Global averaged chip sales in February also fell back sequentially, although this was expected due to seasonality – the short month of February which also usually contains the Chinese New Year.

The averaged global sales number for February 2013 was 3.8 per cent lower than the averaged January 2013 total of $24.17 billion, reflecting seasonal trends, but year-to-date sales through February 2013 were 2 per cent higher than at the same point in 2012.

Monthly data is given by the SIA as a three-month average, although the source of the data, the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organisation, tracks actual monthly data. The SIA and other regional semiconductor industry bodies opt to use averaged data because it smoothes out the actual data that typically show troughs at the beginnings of the quarters and peaks at the ends of the quarters.

"Despite persistent economic uncertainty, the global semiconductor industry is off to a promising start in 2013 – led by strength in memory sales – and is ahead of last year's pace," said Brian Toohey, president and CEO of the SIA, in a statement.

Regionally, year-over-year sales increased in Asia Pacific (6.7 per cent) and the Americas (1.6 per cent), but decreased in Europe (-1.5 per cent) and Japan (-15.7 per cent). Sales increased in Europe (1.4 per cent) compared to the previous month, but decreased in Asia Pacific (-3.6 per cent), Japan (-5 per cent) and the Americas (-6.2 per cent).

- Peter Clarke
??EE Times