SAN JOSE, Calif.-World semiconductor sales dropped 1.9 percent from June to July 1998-to $9.67 billion-and 17 percent since July 1997, because of pricing pressures and continued economic turmoil in Japan, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association’s “Global Sales Report.”
Sales in the Japanese semiconductor market dropped 30.2 percent during the July-to-July period, but two-thirds of the decline is attributable to the depreciation of Japan’s currency, said SIA.
The Americas market fell from $3.85 billion in July 1997 to $3.2 billion in July 1998, Europe slipped from $2.31 billion to $2.22 billion and Asia-Pacific dropped from $2.54 billion to $2.1 billion during the same period.
The trade association said the oversupply of memory chips in world markets is softening prices and cutting revenues.
