The latest report from SEMI International Semiconductor Industry Association shows that with the increase in sales in the electronics sector, stable inventory, and increased wafer fab production capacity, there are signs of improvement in the global semiconductor manufacturing industry in the first quarter of 2024, and it is expected that industry growth will become stronger in the second half of the year.

The report states that with the increase in high-performance computing (HPC) chip shipments and continuous improvement in memory pricing, IC sales achieved a strong year-on-year growth of 22% in the first quarter of 2024, and are expected to surge by 21% in the second quarter of 2024. The inventory level of IC is expected to stabilize in the first quarter of 2024 and improve this quarter. In addition, the production capacity of wafer fabs continues to increase, estimated to exceed 40 million wafers per quarter (calculated in 300mm wafer equivalent). The production capacity increased by 1.2% in the first quarter of this year and is expected to increase by 1.4% in the second quarter. China remains the country with the highest production capacity growth rate among all regions.

SEMI Chief Analyst Clark Tseng said, "Demand in some semiconductor sectors is recovering, but the pace of recovery is uneven. Artificial intelligence chips and high bandwidth memory are currently the most in demand devices, leading to investment and capacity expansion in these areas. However, due to the dependence of artificial intelligence chips on a few key suppliers, their impact on IC shipment growth is still limited."

Boris Metodiev, Market Analysis Director at TechInsights, said, "Semiconductor demand in the first half of 2024 was mixed, with a surge in demand for generative artificial intelligence and a rebound in memory and logic. However, due to the slow recovery of the consumer market, coupled with a decline in demand in the automotive and industrial markets, there have been slight adjustments in analog, discrete, and optoelectronic products." As artificial intelligence expands to the edge, it is expected that consumer demand will be boosted, and a comprehensive recovery may occur in the second half of the year. In addition, with declining interest rates and inventory, the automotive and industrial markets are expected to resume growth in the second half of this year.

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