SAN JOSE – February worldwide semiconductor sales were $22 billion, up 56.2% year-over-year, and down a slight 1.3% sequentially.

“The February sales numbers reflect continued recovery of sales of semiconductors, with demand principally driven by growth in sales of electronic products in emerging economies,” said George Scalise, president of the Semiconductor Industry Association, which tracks the data. “Unit sales of the two leading demand drivers for semiconductors – personal computers and cellphones – are now projected to grow in the low- to mid-teens in 2010. While the 56% year-on-year growth reflected in the February sales number is encouraging, it is important to note that January and February of 2009 marked the low point for the semiconductor industry during the worldwide economic downturn.

“There are encouraging signs that the global economic recovery will continue, and we remain cautiously optimistic that there is upside potential for growth beyond our November forecast for 2010,” Scalise concluded.

All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average.