Semiconductor industry ends 1st quarter with strong global sales

WASHINGTON, USA: The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing US leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and design, today announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors were $25.3 billion for the month of March 2011, a 2.5 percent increase from the prior month when sales were $24.7 billion, and an increase of 8.6 percent from March 2010 when sales were $23.2 billion.

Sales in the first quarter of 2011 reached $75.8 billion, an increase of 8.6 percent over last year's first quarter sales of $69.8 billion and a sequential increase of 0.4 percent over the prior quarter. All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average.Source: Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

"At the close of the first quarter of this year we are very encouraged by the performance of the global and domestic semiconductor industry," said Brian Toohey, president, Semiconductor Industry Association. "Now more than ever, it's clear that the semiconductor industry is a force driving the US economy forward and out of the recent recession."

Currently, the industry is on track to outpace the growth forecasts of the US economy due to increased consumer and business demand for high-quality electronics products and the pervasive application of integrated circuits throughout most industries. Additionally, stabilization of infrastructure and ongoing recovery efforts in Japan have mitigated some of the impact that the mid-March natural disaster could have had on the semiconductor markets.Source: Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).