Worldwide highlights
07/01/1997
Worldwide highlights
Market research firm Dataquest, San Jose, CA, is forecasting another up year for the worldwide PC industry, which consumes nearly one-third of worldwide chip output. First quarter results show the market grew 15.4%; and because 1Q is traditionally slow for the PC market, Dataquest analysts believe the worldwide PC market still may grow 19% this year. The US PC market itself grew 15.2% in 1Q, and Dataquest`s computer group director Bill Schaub said the US commercial marketplace is expected to be the "most lucrative opportunity for PC manufacturers this year."
Plan for x-ray demonstration. X-ray proponents in the US are trying to put together a plan for an x-ray demonstration facility in Silicon Valley. The idea calls for construction of a unit equipped with a synchrotron and a number of x-ray steppers, each of which would be contained inside a secure cleanroom. Chipmakers who want to develop their x-ray knowledge would lease one or more of the cleanrooms, where engineers could do their work away from prying eyes. This scheme would reduce the initial cost for x-ray development, and reduce the need for point x-ray sources.
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SIA sees chip boom in 1998-2000. The Semiconductor Industry Association`s World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) is optimistic for the world chip market. In a new forecast, WSTS says that semiconductor sales will rise 4.6% this year, and over 20% in each of the next three years. Microprocessors represent a major growth sector (see table), with sales rising just under 30% in 1995 and 1996, and forecast to rise another 33% this year. By 2000, WSTS estimates MPU sales will be $44.9 billion. DRAM sales, which plummeted 38.5% in 1996, are seen dropping another 20% this year, to $20.1 billion, before jumping by 35% or more for the subsequent three years, to $50.6 billion in 2000. Geographically, the Asia-Pacific market (outside of Japan) is expected to continue its torrid growth, rising 9.7% this year, then seeing annual growth of 24.3% in 1998 and 26% in 1999, to take second place behind North and South America. The Americas market is expected to maintain a steady 33% of the world market through 2000.
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World chip sales tick up 4.9% in March. After a three-month decline, world semiconductor sales rose 4.9% in March (see table), according to the Semiconductor Industry Association Global Billings Report. Sales worldwide were $10.91 billion, up more than $500 million over February`s $10.40 billion. All four major markets shared in the increasing sales, with the Americas market leading with a 7.3% rise over the $3.41 billion figure reported in February; the Asia-Pacific market was second, reporting a 6.8% increase to $2.31 billion; the European market followed with a 4.8% jump to $2.35 billion. The declining value of the Japanese yen took its toll on Japan`s market in the period, with the region seeing only a 0.2% rise to $2.58 billion. The SIA noted that this type of activity is traditionally expected during quarter-ending months. In comparing March 1997 totals with March 1996, world semiconductor sales have decreased 9.9%. The largest year-to-year drop was in Japan, where 1997 sales fell 14.5%.