Developing economies in China, India, Europe and Latin America fueled a 5.4 percent rise in global chip sales in the first half of this year, helping to overcome stagnant demand in the weak US economy, figures released on Monday by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) showed.
These developing economies accounted for more than half of global personal computer sales for this year, the San Jose, California-based trade group said.
Sales in the first six months of this year were US$127.5 billion, with second quarter sales of US$64.7 billion, representing an increase of 8 percent from the same period a year ago, the association said.
Increased energy costs have done little to dampen demand for chips, it said.
Personal computers accounted for about 40 percent of chip sales, with cellphones accounting for 20 percent, it said.
“Emerging markets are a major factor in driving worldwide semiconductor sales,” SIA president George Scalise said in a statement on Monday.
“In 2008, developing countries — with sales of over 153 million units — will account for half of worldwide PC sales,” Scalise said.
“The emergence of large middle class populations in China, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America has more than offset the effects of slower growth in the US economy,” he said.
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