Huge ramps in semiconductor equipment purchases by leading foundries and IDMs in July and August will result in the equipment market ending 2009 dropping 40% instead of 46% previously forecast, according to The Information Network.

"As we stated on August 13, Applied Materials' results clearly confirmed that the downturn in the semiconductor equipment market is over," said Robert Castellano, president of The Information Network. "Semiconductor equipment purchased in July was up 12.0% and growth continued sequentially in August, increasing 14.6% and taking sales to US$869 million."

The Information Network previously raised its semiconductor forecast growth for full-year 2009 to be minus 17%. The company expects the foundry sector to underperform the semiconductor market by 2 or 3 percentage points, thus down 19% or 20% from 2009.

Article translated by Jessie Shen