SAN JOSE, Calif.-Worldwide sales of semiconductors surged past $20 billion in October, driven by strong customer demand for consumer electronics such as cellular phones.
Sales increased by 6.75 percent compared with the same time last year, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Sales were up 2.5 percent from the $19.6 billion reported for September.
SIA President George Scalise noted that a sharp rebound in consumer confidence was reflected in sales of a wide range of consumer products, including cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras and TVs, and personal computers. Demand for semiconductors was strong in all industry sectors, he added.
“Industry sales continue to track with our forecast of 6.8-percent growth to $228 billion in 2005. Inventories are in balance, and production capacity utilization remains in the healthy 90-percent range,” Scalise said.
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