According to the ZVEI-Association of Electronic Components and Systems, the sales of semiconductors in October on a Dollar basis were 5 percent below that of the previous month. Compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, the sales in October sank by 7 percent. Cumulated over the first 10 months of 2008, the sales on a Dollar basis in Germany shrank by 6 percent compared to the first 10 months of 2007. On a Euro basis to October, the cumulated sales were approximately 16 percent below the value of corresponding previous year’s value.
The Book-to-Bill ratio, an indicator of the medium-term trend, fell to 0.83 in October. A Book-to-Bill ratio below 0.85 was last seen in the 4th quarter 2001. This clear decline dims the outlook for 2009. The market experts of the ZVEI-Fachverband Electronic Components and Systems expect a shrinking of the German semiconductor market in the coming year. The cooling of the world economy will leave its traces on the world semiconductor market. For the global semiconductor market therefore the WSTS (World Semiconductor Trade Statistics) forecasts a growth of a good 6 percent only for the year 2010 after a reduction of 2 percent for 2009 (2008: plus 2 percent).
