Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) has substantially increased its forecast for fourth-quarter wafer shipments, predicting that they will be equal to the third-quarter level compared with its prediction in October that they would decline sequentially on a low-teen percentage rate.

This dramatic improvement in prospects from the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry is put down to the recent pick-up in the PC demand and the increased demand for communication products for the Christmas season.

TSMC said its utilization rate is expected to be close to 60%. It is however sticking to its October prediction that the average selling price is expected to improve by a low single-digit percentage rate due to a better product mix. © ComputerWire