The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported that worldwide sales of semiconductors grew to $121 billion in the first half of 2007, an increase of 2 percent from the $118.4 billion reported for the first half of 2006. Second-quarter sales of $59.9 billion declined by 2 percent from the $61.1 billion reported in the first quarter of 2007. Sales in June 2007 amounted to $20 billion, a decline of 1.7 percent from the $20.3 billion reported in May. SIA reported that sales of microprocessors declined by 3 percent sequentially but were up by more than 7 percent from June of 2006. Unit shipments of microprocessors were up by 19 percent for the first half of 2007 compared to the first half of 2006 while the rate of year-on-year price attrition in this segment has now fallen below 10 percent for the first time this year.
