01. Global semiconductor sales up 1.9% month-to-month in August
October 6, 2023, According to the latest report from The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), global semiconductor industry sales totaled US$44 billion in August 2023, an increase of 1.9% from the US$43.2 billion total in July 2023, but a 6.8% decrease from the $47.2 billion total in August 2022.
Regionally, month-to-month sales increased in the Americas (4.6%), China (2.0%), and Asia Pacific/All Other (1.2%), but decreased slightly in Japan (-0.4%) and Europe (-1.1%). Year-to-year sales were up in Europe (3.5%) and the Americas (0.3%), but down in Japan (-2.9%), Asia Pacific/All Other (-11.3%), and China (-12.6%).
02. Memory product distributors likely to stock up for year-end holiday shopping in China
Downstream memory product distributors have shown intentions to stock up ahead of the year-end holiday shopping in China amid rising prices of chip supplies from the upstream, according to industry sources.
03. Samsung will raise NAND flash memory prices by 10% starting this month
Business Korea, citing its industry sources, reports that this quarter Samsung will raise contract prices for NAND memory by more than 10%, and the new prices will take effect this month for customers who have signed new contracts. In this area, the price policy of the manufacturers takes into account the potential benefit of future deliveries under contract, and therefore they must act with some advance, so as not to miss the benefit in the event of a subsequent increase in prices in the market as a whole.
04. Intel to Spin-off Programmable Solutions Group as Standalone Business, Eyeing IPO in 2-3 Years
October 4, 2023, Intel has announced that the company will be spinning off its programmable solutions group (PSG), to operate as a standalone business. The business unit, responsible for developing Intel’s Agilex, Stratix, and other FPGA products, will become a standalone entity under Intel’s corporate umbrella starting in Q1 of 2024, with the long-term goal of eventually selling off part of the group in an IPO in two to three years’ time.
05. Taiwan foundry revenues expected to fall in 2023, but make recovery in 2024
Taiwan's wafer foundry industry is set to generate a total of only US$77.9 billion in revenue in 2023, falling 13% from a year ago, with the decline having been adjusted bigger by close to 10pp from the previous forecast. Going into 2024, the Taiwan foundry industry will have new capacity coming online while smartphone application processors (AP) and high-performance computing (HPC) chips for AI and other applications will help boost foundry demand, according to DIGITIMES Research's latest report covering Taiwan's foundry industry.
06. Foxconn expects substantial revenue growth in 4Q23
Foxconn (Hon Hai Technology) expects substantial revenue growth compared to the prior quarter in the fourth quarter of 2023, buoyed by a seasonal pickup in shipments for major customer products.
07. Handset industry and SoC makers see smooth destocking
According to sources from handset distribution channels, smooth destocking indicates that restocking for the usual peak season will proceed as usual. While the momentum may not be as strong as that during the pandemic, it's better than what had been…