LONDON -- The global market for SMT equipment is projected to top $5.5 billion by 2015, with growth driven by technological advancements, particularly component miniaturization, according to a new research report.

BEIJING -- China has unveiled a supercomputer incorporating thousands of graphics chips and capable of achieving a sustained performance of 2.5 petaflops.

WASHINGTON — President Obama recently signed legislation reinstating and extending tax benefits for electronics companies.

ZHENGZHOU CITY -- Foxconn is nearing completion on the first phase of a massive campus in this northern China city and will hire more than 140,000 workers in the coming year, a local news source is reporting.

DANDERYD, SWEDEN -- Electronics manufacturing services provider NOTE has signed an agreement to divest its 50% holding in a subsidiary in Krakow, Poland.

TOKYO — Hitachi is calling published reports of the sale of its LCD manufacturing unit to Foxconn premature.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — Orders for printed circuit boards from North American fabricators rose 5% year-over-year in November.

NEWARK, NY -- IEC Electronics has received a $7.4 million add-on order to build circuit boards for satellite communications modems from one of its defense customers.

SCHAUMBURG, IL – IPC will hold its annual IPC Midwest Conference & Exhibition here Sept. 21–22.

MACAO, CHINA -- Deswell Industries reported fiscal second-quarter sales in its contract electronics and metallic segment rose 28.1% to $10.9 million.