Electronics Industry Update
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 10/1/2003
| Worldwide Sales of Semiconductor Devices | Manufacturers’ Shipments of Electronic Components |
 |  |
| Manufacturers’ Shipments of Computers | Manufacturers’ Shipments of Communications Equipment |
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Worldwide semiconductor shipments will increase 11.2% this year and 24.3% in 2004, with another double-digit gain expected in 2005. This year's sales increase is due to higher unit volumes with prices averaging close to the 2002 average. The expected shipments gain more than doubles next year when tightening supplies permit a 15% rise in ASPs, mostly for commodity memory and logic, but prices will be higher for all types of circuits. The demand surge that causes this is the restarted economic recovery in the United States and the smaller Asian countries, plus a small improvement in Europe.
Computer shipments have expanded quickly since winter, with sales from U.S. factories up nearly 23% in June and July. U.S. shipments are expected to be 11.1% higher this year with a 12.0% further gain expected in 2004. However, telecom shipments are still declining. There have been a few brief gains, but shipments have fallen for 10 consecutive quarters. June and July shipments averaged 12% above April and May. This upturn is more likely to be sustained because telecom orders jumped 12% in July, and a widespread improvement in all capital spending has taken hold in the past few months.
