The demand for semiconductors continues to slow in all world markets. Latest Semiconductor Industry Association figures show chip sales in March were off 9.9% at $10.91bn compared with the same period in 1996 when sales of $12.1bn were recorded. The slowdown is most noticeable in the Japanese market where vendors spent $2.58bn on chips, or 14.5% less than they did in March 1996, when they bought products worth $3.02bn. Sales in the Americas were off 9.8% at $3.67bn, down from $4.06bn; Europe down 9.8% from $2.61bn from $2.35bn; and Asia Pacific off 4.2% at $2.31bn from $2.41bn in March 1996. Sequentially, sales in all markets increased over February sales, which is usual in the last month of the quarter.
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