Chipmakers may be emerging from a two-year slump

SEMICONDUCTORS A slight increase in the February book-to-bill ratio is an indicator that local companies should be getting more orders

By Bill Heaney / STAFF REPORTER

"Globally, there is more than enough capacity in terms of chipmakers," Hsieh said. "Customers are not obligated to give a firm commitment to buy from foundries. And after getting burned in the 2001 slump, they are carefully controlling their inventories."

Few are ordering more than one or two months in advance, he said.