The initial forecast was for a 17.1% drop in semiconductor sales for 2009, but Gartner has already revised this data for the second time in the face of higher than expected demand for computers and mobile phones. The latest data are still decreasing in relation to 2008, but with smaller losses, which stand at 11.4%.
According to the consultant, revenues in the semiconductor area are expected to reach $ 226 billion in 2009 (about 150 billion euros), a figure that compares negatively with the $ 255 billion recorded in 2008 (about EUR 170 billion).
«The recovery in the semiconductor market is on track and forecasts continue to improve as suppliers release quarterly results,» said Bryan Lewis, an analyst at the company.
PCs are the biggest driver of growth in the market, with forecasts of breaks being significantly reduced compared to expectations at the beginning of the year. The best results come from microprocessors and DRAM memories, whose sales increased in the first half, and the memory sector may even register positive results after three years of consecutive losses.
In addition to updating the figures for 2009, Gartner also improved the outlook for 2010, stating that the value should return to the revenues recorded in 2008, with 255 billion dollars when it had previously pointed to 233 billion.
