World Highlights

03/01/1997

Worldwide highlights

Equipment book-to-bill rises above 1.0. Monthly orders for North American semiconductor equipment rose in December to 1.02, the first time since May 1996 the ratio topped 1.0 (see table). December bookings reached $1.04 billion, the first time the figure surpassed the $1 billion mark since June 1996, yet 30% lower than December 1995. Monthly billings, which have been steadily declining since last summer, were $1.02 billion, 3% below November figures and 22% less than a year ago.

Last SIA book-to-bill shows decrease. The Semiconductor Industry Association`s final monthly book-to-bill report for the North and South American chip market reached 1.10, with bookings down slightly month-to-month. December bookings dropped 2.9% month-to-month, and 23% from year-ago levels to $3.87 billion, while billings rose about 2.7% over November levels to $3.52 billion.

US/Japan reach antidumping accord. Semiconductor manufacturers in the US and Japan have agreed on procedures to expedite handling future dumping investigations. According to a joint statement released by the Semiconductor Industry Association and the Electronic Industries Association of Japan, US and Japanese companies will independently collect cost and price data on DRAM and flash EPROM chips, and submit it to the appropriate government agency within 14 days of the filing of a new antidumping investigation in the US or Japan. This agreement maintains the expedited collection and reporting system created under the 1991 US- Japan Semiconductor Trade Agreement.