WSTS (World Semiconductor Trade Statistics) reports December sales of semiconductors down 35.4% on December 2007, and down 16.4% on November 2008.
For January 2009, the US-based Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) saw sales down 28.6% compared to January 2008, and 11.9% down from December 2008.
“Worldwide semiconductor sales in January reflected a continuing erosion of consumer confidence and the effects of the global economic recession,” said SIA president George Scalise.
"Sales declined across the entire range of semiconductor products, as sales of important demand drivers such as personal computers, cell phones, automobiles and consumer items remained under pressure. Inventory levels are very low and there are some signs that forward visibility is improving.”
In Europe, leading analyst Malcolm Penn, CEO of Future Horizons, said: “Consumers en-masse adopted a ‘stop everything/do nothing/wait and see’ approach to everything, hence the dramatic fall in Q4 semiconductor demand, but this cannot continue forever."
"We expect the first half of 2009 to be bad, down 8.7 per cent on the second half of 2008, offset by a recovery starting Q309, with the full year’s market down 28% on 2008. 2010 should then see a strong market rebound,” said Penn.