KUALA LUMPUR (March 4): Worldwide sales of semiconductors fell 5.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) to US$26.9 billion in January this year from US$28.5 billion a year earlier, according to the US-based Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

In a statement on its website March 3, the SIA said the figure was 2.7% lower month-on-month (m-o-m) from US$27.6 billion in December 2015.

It said sales into the Americas were particularly sluggish, decreasing 5.9% m-o-m and 16.9% y-o-y.

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

SIA president and chief executive officer John Neuffer said global semiconductor sales decreased in January across most regional markets and product categories, largely due to softening demand and lingering macroeconomic headwinds.

"Despite these challenges, modest market growth is projected for 2016, following essentially flat sales last year," he said.

The SIA said that regionally, sales decreased in most regions: China (-0.4% m-o-m/+4.3% y-o-y), Europe (-1.7%/-7.7%), Japan (-3.3%/-5.1%), Asia Pacific/All Other (-2.8%/-6.5%), and the Americas (-5.9%/-16.9%).

It said sales also decreased across most major semiconductor product categories, with the notable exception of microprocessors, which increased year-to-year by 2.1%.