The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced worldwide sales of semiconductors reached US$26.1 billion for the month of March 2016, a slight increase of 0.3% compared to the previous month's total of US$26.0 billion.

Semiconductor sales for the first quarter of 2016 totaled US$78.3 billion, down 5.5% compared to the previous quarter and 5.8% lower than the first quarter of 2015, according to 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 increased in March for the first time in five months, but soft demand, market cyclicality, and macroeconomic conditions continue to impede more robust growth," said John Neuffer, president and CEO of SIA. "Q1 sales lagged behind last quarter across nearly all regional markets, with the Americas showing the sharpest decline."

Regionally, month-to-month sales increased in Japan (4.8%), Asia Pacific/All Other (2.3%), and Europe (0.1%), but fell in China (-1.1%) and the Americas (-2.8%). Compared to the same month in 2015, sales in March increased in Japan (1.8%) and China (1.3%), but decreased in Asia Pacific/All Other (-6.4%), Europe (-9.8%), and the Americas (-15.8%).