Global Semiconductor Sales Rose in February, Declined Sequentially From January, SIA Says

Global sales of semiconductors reached $27.8 billion for February, a 6.7 percent increase from February 2014 but a sequential 2.7 percent decline from January this year, reflecting seasonal trends, the Semiconductor Industry Association said Monday in a report. Regionally, February sales in the Americas increased 17.1 percent from last February to lead all regional markets, the SIA said. “The global semiconductor industry maintained momentum in February, posting its 22nd straight month of year-to-year growth despite macroeconomic headwinds,” SIA President John Neuffer said. Sales of dynamic random-access memory and analog products “were particularly strong, notching double-digit growth over last February, and the Americas market achieved its largest year-to-year sales increase in 12 months,” he said. “While we are encouraged by the semiconductor market’s sustained growth over the last two years, a key driver of our industry’s continued success is free trade.” Given that there are “several important free trade agreements currently under negotiation,” he urged Congress to “swiftly re-enact” Trade Promotion Authority legislation.