The world continues to buy ever larger quantities of semiconductors, with the chip industry selling $17.32bn worth of them in May 2004, 2.1 per cent more than it did in April and 36.9 per cent more than it sold in May 2003.

According to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), there's usually a jump in chip sales mid way through Q2. However, May's figures represent the highest monthly sales since December 2000.

Sales went up in all regions, except Europe. Sales in Asia-Pacific rose the most - 4.5 per cent sequentially and 54.2 per cent year-on-year to $7.21bn. Japan followed a two per cent sequential growth took sales to $3.73bn, up 25.1 per cent over May 2003. The Americas experienced a meagre 0.2 per cent sequential growth rate - 26.5 per cent year-on-year - with sales of $3.2bn.

Europe's decline was just 1.2 per cent, with sales falling to $3.18bn, though that still represents a 29.1 per cent increase year-on-year - second only to Asia-Pacific.

According to the SIA, most product segments saw traditional growth patterns, though chips for communications kit saw particularly high demand on the back of "robust" sales of mobile phones. ®

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