ARLINGTON, VA, Aug. 9 - July bookings of electronics components slowed for the first time in nearly a year but are expected to pick up in the fall, said a trade group that tracks monthly orders. 

Orders flattened in July, their first slowdown in 11 months, reported the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association, a trade group of component makers and assemblers.

"After almost a year of steady upward movement, the market seems to have taken a bit of a breather in July," said Bob Willis, ECA president, in a press statement. "We suspect that this will be temporary and that growth will resume by the end of this quarter through the close of the year."

Executives from manufacturers who met at ECA's spring conference said they expect growth well into 2005, ECA said.

The ECA is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance.