Global semiconductor sales are forecast to fall 22 percent this year, 10 times more than previously estimated, because of a deteriorating global economy, the industry’s largest association said.
Chip sales may slump to US$194.8 billion this year, World Semiconductor Trade Statistics Inc (WSTS) said in a statement yesterday. Its November forecast was for a 2.2 percent decline. Revenue is expected to rebound 7.3 percent to US$209 billion next year, the San Jose, California-based group said.
“Our November forecast was premised on deteriorating economic conditions in the US, and the subsequent slumps in other regions such as Japan were worse than our earlier expectations,” Hiro Kusama, a manager in charge of corporate marketing at NEC Corp and member of the WSTS committee, said at a briefing in Tokyo.
WSTS joins market researcher Gartner Inc in lowering its outlook amid slumping demand for electronic equipment and consumer gear. Semiconductor-industry sales are projected to fall 24 percent this year, Gartner said in February. The researcher in December forecast revenue would slump 16 percent this year.
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