Global semiconductor market forecasted to be $290 billion in 2012

USA: The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) has released its updated semiconductor market forecast that the world semiconductor market in 2012 will be $290 billion, down 3.2 percent from 2011, followed by a recovery of positive 4.5 percent growth to $303 billion in 2013.

Forecasts for these two years are revised downward from the previous 2012 spring forecasts of positive 0.4 percent and 7.2 percent growth respectively, due mainly to growing uncertainty of the world economy including China’s slow down.

The 2012 market weakness is broad, with negative growth in all geographical regions and all product categories except Logic and Optoelectronics. Among the regions, Europe is forecasted to be most hard hit, to decline 10.7 percent from 2011 to $33 billion.

For 2013, WSTS does not predict continued semiconductor market decline, with the anticipated emergence of new electronics products and applications, although uncertainty of world economy, such as European debt issues and US “Fiscal Cliff”, may remain as concerns.

WSTS anticipates the world market to grow 5.2 percent to $319 billion in 2014, with healthy mid-single digit growth across most of the geographical regions and semiconductor product categories, supported by the healthier economy of the world.