Taiwan Semiconductor Corp. The company attributed the losses to provisions it made for inventory losses. This Year Industry observers and chip managers are keeping a weary eye on integrated circuit unit volumes as a key indicator of where the semiconductor business goes next. The company confirmed that its capacity-utilization rate is to continue to decline to 50 per cent in the coming three months. Taiwan's Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry Expected to Rebound in the 2nd-3rd Quarter of 2001 Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing industry is expected to rebound in the second or third quarter of 2001. Can Sink Following the fortunes of the chip industry these days is like waiting for the other shoe to fall.
Investors know the bottom is about to be hit, but the question is when.
World No 1, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, saw first quarter revenue fall by 27 per cent from the previous quarter. World No 2, United Microelectronics, fell 26 per cent for the same period. Taiwan Chip Sales Plunged in First Quarter Taiwan's semiconductor makers posted sharp declines in their first-quarter sales, as expected. This year is turning out to be a grim one for the semiconductor industry, and some analysts think it's going to get worse before it gets better. While many executives once predicted that a recovery could come as early as the second half, that scenario is starting to look a bit too rosy, and companies are beginning to dig in their heels for a painful, protracted downturn.