Global Semiconductor Sales Up 20.6% To Record $53.1 Billion

Global semiconductor sales recorded a 20.6% year-on-year increase in August to $53.1 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). The Register reports: The Americas led the way, with sales up 43.9 percent to $15.4 billion over last year to notch up what may be the highest on record for August, the SIA said. This comes on the back of swelling demand from sectors such as AI, cloud computing, and automotive. Over in Asia-Pacific sales grew year-on-year by 17.1 percent to $10.95 billion, according to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics organization, which compiles these stats for the SIA. China was up 19.2 percent to $13 billion and Japan grew two percent to $4 billion.

Europe was the outlier, recording a nine percent drop to $4.7 billion. No reason was given for this decline. However, on a worldwide basis, all continents returned positive month-on-month numbers in August for the first time since October 2023, indicating that the semiconductor industry is on a path to recovery.

Will it last?

[dcooper_db9]

Right now they're talking about 18 months to bring the Spruce Pine Mining District back online, so manufacturing has a big challenge ahead. Now that all the money seems to be going into AI I'm not sure I even care. Part of me says that we need something to slow down the insane growth that's consuming so much energy. The idea of putting taxpayers on the hook for $1.6 billion to bring Three Mile Island back online, with all the electricity going to Microsoft, is nauseating.

How much of that is ...

[Ungrounded Lightning]

How much of that (if any) is more chips and how much is inflation raising the price (denominated in cheaper dollars) of the chips?

Re:

[Vlad_the_Inhaler]

I believe inflation is significantly less than 20.6%.
A lot will be AI, some will be inflation and some will be down to Microsoft's hardware requirements for Windows 11.