17. UMC June sales down 7.3%

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s UMC, the world’s No. 2 contract chip maker, said its June sales fell 7.3%, marking the first fall since January despite hopes the sector is recovering from a weak first quarter. United Microelectronics Corp’s (UMC) had sales of T$8.105 billion (US$267mil) last month, compared with T$8.745 billion a year ago, the company said on its website. UMC’s May sales were T$8.607 billion in May. As demand grows for chips used in computers and other consumer gadgets, UMC has forecast second quarter wafer shipments will grow 10% from the first quarter, though average selling prices could drop 2% in the same period. Some analysts worry that high oil prices and a faltering US economy will eventually affect global demand for technology products. “The fall in UMC’s June sales is expected because the whole sector’s outlook is... [read full story]