The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors reached US$26 billion for the month of February 2016, a decrease of 3.2% compared to the previous month's total of US$26.9 billion and 6.2% lower than the February 2015 total of US$27.7 billion.

February sales into the Americas fell sharply, decreasing 19.3% year-to-year, while year-to-year sales into China increased 3.5%, said SIA. All monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average.

"Global semiconductor sales slipped somewhat in February, due to normal seasonal trends, demand softening, and unfavorable macroeconomic conditions," said John Neuffer, president and CEO of SIA. "Most regional markets have struggled to overcome these headwinds, and sales have dipped across the majority of semiconductor product categories."

Semiconductor sales in China decreased 4.6% sequentially but increased 3.5% on year in February 2016, while sales in all other regions registered sequential and on-year declines: Europe (-0.9%/-6.3%), Japan (-0.8%/-3.5%), Asia Pacific/All Other (-0.7%/-6.3 %), and the Americas (-7.0%/-19.3%).

Sales also decreased across most major semiconductor product categories, with the notable exception of microprocessors, which increased year-to-year by 3.4%, SIA said.