By Jon Bernstein, 5 February 2002 07:28
NEWS Demand for microprocessors fell dramatically last year, down 32 per cent on 2000 - a year which saw record sales of $205bn. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) blamed a decline in PC and mobile phone sales. Global revenues for 2001 were $139bn. The SIA remained cautiously optimistic about the year ahead, however, predicting a flat sales in the first quarter followed by single-digit growth for the remainder of 2002. Europe saw a 5 per cent rise in sales during the last three months of 2001. Last month Intel, the industry's bellwether, reported profits down 77 per cent. However, the firm beat Wall Street estimates with fourth quarter revenues of $6.98bn and, more significantly, forecast growth in sales on the back of increased consumer spending on PCs. George Scalise, president of the SIA, told today's Financial Times: "Key demand drivers - wireless handsets and personal computers - bottomed out in the third quarter and recorded double-digit increases in the fourth quarter."
In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.
Log in or create your silicon.com account below