Global chip sales rose to $21.4 bln in September 2006, an increase of 9.3% from September 2005, and a 4.2% increase from the $20.5 bln reported in August 2006. Strong demand for consumer products, including cell phones, MP3 players, and personal computers were major drivers of increased chip sales. Global semiconductor sales in Q3 2006 were $64.1 bln compared to $59.3 bln in Q2 2006, an increase of 8%. For Q1-Q3 2006, sales totaled $182.6 bln – an increase of 8.9% from the $167.6 bln reported for Q1-Q3 2005. According to VLSI Research, capacity utilization should grow to around 95% for the remainder of 2006, an increase from Q2 2006 utilization rate of 92%.
| September 2006 semiconductor sales | |||
| Month-to-Month Sales | |||
| Market | August 2006 | September 2006 | Change |
| Americas | 3.83 | 3.89 | 1.8% |
| Europe | 3.21 | 3.41 | 6.4% |
| Japan | 3.92 | 4.05 | 3.3% |
| Asia Pacific | 9.56 | 10.02 | 4.8% |
| Total | 20.51 | 21.37 | 4.2% |
| Year-to-Year Sales | |||
| Market | September 2005 | September 2006 | Change |
| Americas | 3.45 | 3.89 | 12.9% |
| Europe | 3.29 | 3.41 | 3.7% |
| Japan | 3.70 | 4.05 | 9.4% |
| Asia Pacific | 9.12 | 10.02 | 9.8% |
| Total | 19.56 | 21.37 | 9.3% |
| Three-Month-Moving Average Sales | |||
| Market | Q2 2006 | Q3 2006 | Change |
| Americas | 3.54 | 3.89 | 9.9% |
| Europe | 3.16 | 3.41 | 8.1% |
| Japan | 3.78 | 4.05 | 7.1% |
| Asia Pacific | 9.30 | 10.02 | 7.7% |
| Total | 19.78 | 21.37 | 8.0% |
| Source: VLSI Research | |||