TOKYO -- In December 2002 worldwide sales of chip-making equipment rose up 43.0% compared to the previous month, to reach $1.82 billion, according to Reuters reporting figures from the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) industry association.
The rise more than compensated for an almost equally strong dip in November 2002 when sales had fallen 37.4% sequentially to $1.27 billion. The December figure was up 13.9% from the same month a year earlier, SEMI is reported as saying.
More forward-looking figures for equipment orders, which tend to precede sales by three to six months or more, showed a rising trend in December in North America and Japan.
North American equipment orders in December rose 8% from the previous month, according to SEMI data, while Japanese industry figures showed a 6.5% rise, Reuters said.
Sales advanced in all regions in December, with Taiwan posting a particularly sharp rise almost doubling November purchases of chip making equipment.
|
December 2002 chip equipment sales |
| Region | Value ($millions) |
m-on-m (%) |
| Japan | 354.4 | +26.2 |
| N. America | 607.6 | +45.5 |
| Europe | 174.8 | +28.3 |
| S. Korea | 165.6 | +26.7 |
| Taiwan | 311.5 | +88.1 |
| Other | 206.9 | +45.6 |
| Total | 1820.9 | +43.0 |
Source: Reuters
