Semicon sales hit $24.4 bn in May 2012

Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $24.4 billion in May 2012 as compared to $24.1 billion in April, up by 1.4%, said a report by the US based Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Semiconductor sales increased by 10.5% in Asia Pacific over a three-month.

Combined global sales for the March-April-May period increased over December-January-February by the highest growth rate of 6.4% since June 2010, said the report. SIA said that, May marked the third consecutive month that sales have grown over the previous month since September 2010.

However, sales from May 2012 were 3.4 percent lower than the May 2011 total of $25.2 billion, and 2012 year-to-date sales were lower across all regions than at this time last year. All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average.

“The upward trend of global semiconductor sales is encouraging,” said Brian Toohey, president & CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association. “Recent sales totals are in line with industry projections of modest growth for the remainder of 2012, but a sluggish global economy continues to provide substantial headwinds, limiting more robust growth,” he added.

Semiconductor sales increased by 4.4% in Europe, and 1.6% in Americas over a three-month moving average, but fell slightly in Japan by -0.7 percent. However, Japan realized an increase in sales from May 2011 to May 2012 (0.4 percent), while Asia Pacific (-1.9 percent), the Americas (-3.2 percent) and Europe (-13.6 percent) all saw year-to-year decreases.