The trade group said Tuesday that semiconductor sales for July reached $11.68 billion, up from year-earlier sales of $10.82 billion, and the first year-over-year increase since February 2001.
July sales were up 2.9% from $11.35 billion in June.
"The July data, and the year-on-year increase, confirm that a moderate but sustainable recovery continues, putting us on track for 7% to 9% sequential growth in the third quarter," SIA President George Scalise said in a statement.
Growth continues to be most robust in the digital consumer market, including DVDs, video games and digital cameras, Mr. Scalise said.
Wireless communications also recorded an increase and wired communications, including routers and networking equipment, are growing, SIA said. The personal-computer sector grew modestly, but continues to trail historical trends.
The Asia-Pacific region posted the greatest improvement in year-to-year sales with growth of 37%. Japan's sales fell 4% for the month, while the Americas reported a smaller decline of 3.4%. Chip sales in Europe slipped 4.3% year-over-year.
For the full year 2002, the trade association expects chip sales world-wide to exceed 2001 levels by 3%. The industry projects accelerated growth rates of more than 20% in both 2003 and 2004, led by increasing demand for digital consumer and wireless products.
