Chip sales up slightly in September

According to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), sales from the third quarter of 2012 totalled $74.4bn – a 1.8% jump compared to the previous quarter – but total 2012 sales were down 4.7% compared to the same time last year. Brian Toohey, SIA president and ceo said: "Semiconductor sales increased from August to September and from Q2 to Q3 as the industry continued to exhibit relative steadiness in a choppy global economy. But the global industry remains behind last year's pace due to lingering economic headwinds. Regionally, sales increased by 5.8% in the Americas on a sequential monthly basis, marking the region's largest increase since May 2010. Sales also increased from August to September in Asia Pacific (1.6%), Europe (0.7%) and Japan (0.2%), but all four regions lagged behind September 2011 sales. "On a regional basis, the Americas were particularly encouraging, posting the largest monthly increase in more than two years," Toohey added.