Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached US$79.1 billion during the second quarter of 2016, an increase of 1.0% over the previous quarter but a decrease of 5.8% compared to the second quarter of 2015, according to SIA.

Sales for the month of June 2016 reached US$26.4 billion, an uptick of 1.1% over the May total of US$26.1 billion, but down 5.8% from the June 2015 total of US$28.0 billion, SIA said. Cumulatively, year-to-date sales during the first half of 2016 were 5.8% lower than they were at the same point in 2015, SIA indicated.

"Global semiconductor sales increased slightly from Q1 to Q2 but remain behind the pace from last year, due largely to global economic uncertainty and sluggish demand," said John Neuffer, president and CEO of SIA. "Sales into Japan and China have been a bright spot midway through 2016, and a modest rebound in sales is projected during the second half of the year."

Regionally, June sales increased 1.7% compared to June 2015 in China, but fell 11% in Asia Pacific/All Other, 10.8% in the Americas, 5.5% in Europe and 1.3% in Japan. June sales were up slightly compared to May in the Americas (3%), China (2.2%) and Europe (1.7%), but down somewhat in Japan (-1.0%) and Asia Pacific/All Other (-0.6%).