Downward trend continues for semiconductor sales

Worldwide semiconductor sales fell for the fifth month in a row in March, according to the latest industry report.

Total sales were $14.4bn in March, down 4.5% a year ago and down 7% from February, the US Semiconductor Industry Association said.

The report found slumping demand in all product areas - from the processors that power computers to flash memory chips that store digital images.

Despite the present gloomy results, the SIA is prepared to predict that things will improve by the end of the year.

"We continue to believe that the industry will complete the inventory correction in the third quarter and the recovery will commence in the fourth quarter," said SIA president George Scalise.