1Q’18 vs.1Q’17 electronic equipment sales grew 10.6 percent in dollars but declined 4.3 percent in euros!Ĭertainly the first quarter was strong globally but the currency chosen for analysis can have a BIG effect. Looking at world electronic equipment sales consolidated into both dollars and euros, 1Q’18 growth rates are MUCH different (Chart 5).

While this world growth result is very heartening it was significantly inflated by exchange rate effects as stronger non-dollar currencies were converted into weaker dollars. dollars) increased globally an estimated (and very robust) 10.6 percent in 1Q’18 vs. Very Strong End Market Growth in First Quarter (Chart 4)īased upon the combined 1Q’18 financial reports of 213 large, global OEMs, electronic equipment sales (consolidated into U.S. This revised semiconductor forecast coupled with very robust global semiconductor capital equipment sales (Chart 3) paint a positive outlook for 2018. WSTS projects year-to-year increases across all regional markets for 2018. This new forecast (endorsed by SIA) projects worldwide semiconductor sales will be a record $463 billion in 2018, a 12.4 percent increase from 2017. The WSTS updated its world semiconductor shipment forecast. Semiconductor Growth Outlook Strong (Chart 2) Trade protectionist sentiment has also mounted, while policy uncertainty and geopolitical risks remain elevated.” The possibility of disorderly financial market volatility has increased, and the vulnerability of some emerging market and developing economies to such disruption has risen.

“This outlook is subject to considerable downside risks. It noted: “Despite recent softening, global economic growth will remain robust at 3.1 percent in 2018 before slowing gradually over the next two years, as advanced-economy growth decelerates and the recovery in major commodity-exporting emerging market and developing economies levels off. The World Bank just updated its multiyear forecast for GDP growth both globally and by country (Chart 1).

Cautious optimism