Converge has tracked increased demand from module manufacturers for 128x8 DDR2 chips, both in PC667 and PC800 speeds. However, there are mixed opinions on why the market has become so tight for these modules.

Demand for semiconductor equipment is showing signs of a return, but it remains too early to say that a broad-based recovery is at hand, said Applied Materials CEO Mike Splinter.

China will maintain its current macroeconomic policy stance aimed at bolstering domestic spending as the nation continues to experience fallout from the global recession, Premier Wen Jiabao said.

GaAs epiwafer foundry Kopin is investing an additional US$6.3 million in its Asian foundry venture, Kopin Taiwan.

Hitachi has reported a quarterly loss amid continued weakness in consumer demand for electronic products. Meanwhile, camera and office equipment maker Canon saw second-quarter net profits fall 85% on year, as firms cut back on printers and copiers.

NEC Electronics, Japan's fourth-largest chipmaker, said its first-quarter loss widened as demand for semiconductors used in automobiles, flat-panel televisions and handsets slumped amid a global recession.

The slide in Japan's exports slowed in June in a sign government stimulus spending around the world may be propping up demand.

Converge also reports that demand for DDR3 modules remains strong, with supplies limited, and that Xeons and AMD Opterons are the drivers for cost savings in the CPU space.

The world's biggest mobile phone maker saw a 66% slide in quarterly profit as the economic downturn hit demand for handsets. Rival Sony Ericsson also reported a quarterly loss and warned that the rest of the year would remain difficult for the company.

Back-to-school spending is set to slip 7.7% in 2009, according to a survey. Families say they'll spend less than they did last year to get kids ready for the fall, relying heavily on sales and coupons.

There is considerable debate about second-half 2009. Some are bulls. Some are bears. Some are in both camps.

Strategies Unlimited's new report says that increasing demand for blue-violet laser diodes, UV LEDs, and other devices will provide significant growth of advanced substrates such as GaN and AlN.

Corning CFO Jim Flaws said growing demand for flat-screen televisions increases the chances that the specialty glass maker will boost its estimate for the LCD glass market. He also said the time may be right for Corning to consider acquisitions of small or medium-sized businesses.

Retailers logged a second straight month of sales declines in April as consumers continued to pull back on all types of unessential purchases, the government reported Wednesday.

The electronics supply chain remains pessimistic and appears to believe we have not yet seen the bottom of the recession, according to a survey of more than 230 electronics supply chain decision makers.

Consumers felt more confident about the economy last month than at any time since the September failure of Lehman Brothers that pushed global banking to the brink of collapse, a survey showed Friday.

Oil slipped under US$50 a barrel on Tuesday on forecasts for softer 2009 global petroleum demand and for a weekly build in US crude supplies.

Japan's exports plunged 45.7% in January compared with a year ago to hit the lowest figure in 10 years, official figures have shown. Imports exceeded exports by 952.6 billion yen (US$9.9 billion). It is the largest gap since records began in 1980. Demand for Japanese cars in particular dropped by 69%. Trade in electronics and other goods has also slumped as global economies and consumer spending contract, pushing Japan deeper into recession.

US consumers cut spending for a sixth straight month in December and their incomes shrank, according to a government report on Monday that underscored the rapid deterioration in the economy.

"Our view is that the underlying theme of the market will change over the course of 2009 from the current 'we are worried about demand' towards 'we are worried about supply'," said analyst.