Foundry wafer starts in 'free fall,' says analyst

Dylan McGrath, eetimes.eu
(09/23/2008 1:08 AM EDT)
 
SAN FRANCISO -- Silicon foundries are experiencing a significant decline in wafer starts that is likely to result in sub-75 percent capacity utilization rates in the fourth quarter, according to Steven Pelayo, an analyst with HSBC Global Technology Research in Hong Kong.

In a research note published Monday (Sept. 22) Pelayo forecast that fourth quarter revenue at leading foundries Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) would be down more than 25 percent sequentially. He forecast that fourth quarter revenue at Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing would decline more than 18 percent sequentially.

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