The world's chip makers together sold just under $20.1bn worth of semiconductors in October, up 6.75 per cent on October 2004's total and 2.5 per cent more than the sum sold in September this year.

The sales figure, reported by the US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), represents a dip in sequential growth from the August-September increase of 5.2 per cent. The SIA attributed October's sales to "strong demand for consumer electronics" founded on "a sharp rebound in consumer confidence".

Sequential sales growth was strongest in the Americas and Europe, with purchasing up 4.3 per cent and 4.0 per cent, respectively. Asia-Pacific experienced 2.1 per cent month-on-month growth, while Japan saw sales rise just 0.8 per cent, the SIA's numbers show.

Both Japan and Europe were down year on year, by 4.5 per cent and 1.1 per cent, respectively. Sales to the Americas were up 2.5 per cent, and to Asia-Pacific a solid 17.7 per cent over October 2004.

The SIA has forecast annual sales of $228bn, up 6.8 per cent on 2004's total. ®

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