Chip sales in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, are expected to drop almost 10 percent this year, US market research firm Dataquest reported Monday.

The region's semiconductor sales are forecast to reach US$51.4 billion this year, from US$57 billion last year. Dataquest said the drop is in line with the US economic slowdown.

According to Dataquest, worldwide sales are expected to drop 16.7 percent to US$188 billion this year, from a record of US$226 billion a year ago. Last year's growth was more than 32 percent.

"The outlook in the semiconductor industry in 2001 is gloomy," said the research firm, adding that the global demand slowdown, particularly in the US, since the fourth quarter of last year has greatly affected the industry growth.

But Dataquest expects "a fairly slow, anticipated recovery" next year, bringing revenues to US$213 billion worldwide and US$59.5 billion in Asia-Pacific.

The semiconductor sector is expected to continue to expand in 2003 and 2004, according to Dataquest, but near the end of 2004 or into 2005, the next phase of the semiconductor cycle will begin and result in too many products.

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