Global Semiconductor Sales Fell in July

Semiconductor sales worldwide dropped 37% to $10.86 billion in July from a year ago, hit by slowing economic activity and bloated inventories, but an upturn is in sight, the Semiconductor Industry Assn. said. Chip sales were down 6.1% from June, the industry group said.

But the association said efforts to cut down inventories accelerated in the second quarter and predicted that the problem of excess stock, which has weighed on the industry, would be fully corrected in the current quarter.

The largest decline in chip sales by region in July came in the Americas, off by 51.2%. European demand was down by 34% and demand from the Asia-Pacific region fell by 30% compared with the year-earlier period, the group said.