China lifts semiconductor equipment 3Q sales

Global semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales rose by 10.5pc in the third quarter from a year earlier driven heavily by China and Japan.

Bookings of semiconductor manufacturing equipment increased to $15.8bn in the third quarter, up from $14.3bn the prior year, according to the Semiconductor Equipment and Material International (SEMI) association.

Chinese sales more than doubled to $4bn in the quarter. Sales in Japan jumped by 40pc to $2.4bn. South Korea billings slid by 31pc to $3.45bn. Meanwhile, Taiwan sales increased by 23pc to $2.9bn in the third quarter.

North American billings of semiconductor equipment declined by 15pc to $1.27bn, and European sales shrank by 20pc to $850mn.

Sales across the rest of the world climbed by 32pc to $980mn.

Sequentially sales fell by 5pc from $16.7bn in the second quarter.