KUALA LUMPUR (March 3): Global semiconductor sales rose 8.7% year-on-year (y-o-y) in January 2015 to US28.5 billion from US$26.3 billion a year earlier, according to the US-based  Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

In a statement on its website March 2, the SIA said the figure was the industry’s highest ever January total.

However, it said global sales from January 2015 were 2% lower than the December 2014 total of US$29.1 billion, reflecting normal seasonal trends.

Regionally, it said sales in the Americas increased by 16.4% compared to last January to lead all regional markets.

All monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average.

The SIA president and chief executive officer John Neuffer said that after a record-setting 2014, the global semiconductor industry was off to a promising start to 2015, posting its highest-ever January sales led by impressive growth in the Americas market.

“Global sales have increased on a year-to-year basis for 21 consecutive months and remain strong across most regions and product categories,” said Neuffer.

Regionally, the SIA said year-to-year sales increased in the Americas (16.4%) and Asia Pacific (10.7%), but decreased in Europe (-0.2%) and Japan (-8%).

It said sales decreased compared to the previous month in Asia Pacific (-0.8%), Europe (-2%), the Americas (-3.3%), and Japan (-6.4%).