Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached US$25.73 billion in November 2012, the highest monthly total since October 2011, according to data gathered by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

Semiconductor sales for November 2012 were 2% higher than the US$25.22 billion posted in October, and also topped the November 2011 total by 2%, according to SIA.

Regionally, semiconductor sales in the Americas increased by 9.7% on year in November 2012, the largest growth since April 2011, SIA pointed out. Combined sales in the Americas from September through November grew 20.2% compared to the levels from June through August, marking the region's largest increase on a three-month moving average in the last decade, SIA said.

"The global semiconductor industry navigated difficult macroeconomic conditions in 2012, but encouraging growth led by the Americas in recent months has the industry pointed in the right direction heading into 2013," said Brian Toohey, president and CEO of SIA. "To ensure that the industry's momentum continues, Congress should remove ongoing economic uncertainty by enacting long-term, reliable fiscal policies that boost America's economic strength and global competitiveness."