Going by the most recent figures forwarded by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), a worldwide improvement in the demand for semiconductors brought about a 3.7 percent month-on-month rise in global chip sales in November 2009 – thereby marking the ninth monthly gain in a row for the chip market.

As per the SIA statistics, the total $22.6 billion global chip sales indicated an 8.5 percent year-on-year increase, as well as the first growth of the year 2009. Overall, during the eleven-month period, global chip sales stood at $202.1 billion, which is 13.2 percent less than the same month, year-before figures.

Specifically speaking, the biggest regional year-to-year increase in chip sales during November was witnessed in the Americas, where the sales leaped 26 percent. While the Asia-Pacific region – which accounts for a little over 50 percent of the global chip sales – saw a 13 percent growth during the month; the sales in Japan and Europe fell 5.3 percent and 4.9 percent respectively.

Commenting on the month-on-month increase in sales during November 2009, the SIA President George Scalise elucidated that the demand improved largely because of the October release of Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system as well as stronger sales of LCD televisions.

The SIA has already given an optimistic outlook for the year, projecting a 12 drop in global chip sales, which is well below its May-estimated yearly decline of 21 percent.