Orders for Chips Decline: The semiconductor industry’s...

Orders for Chips Decline: The semiconductor industry’s most closely watched indicator, the book-to-bill ratio, dropped to an average 1.06 for the three months ended in March, according to the Semiconductor Industry Assn. The move, from 1.07 for the three months ended in February, indicates a slight slowing down in an industry that remains on the upswing overall, analysts said. The book-to-bill ratio reflects the ratio of incoming orders, or bookings, to outgoing shipments, or billings. A ratio of 1.0 indicates new orders equal to shipments and is considered the borderline between an industry that is improving and one that is declining. Analysts believe the March figure signals a return to stable growth in the semiconductor market. The March figure fell in line with analysts’ expectations.