TAIPEI -- Foxconn's cellphone manufacturing business unit forecast a larger first-half loss on weaker demand and higher costs.

EL SEGUNDO – IHS iSuppli today upped its 2012 forecast for semiconductor growth to 4.3%, citing strong consumer demand for wireless products like cellphones and media tablets. The researchers warned that inventory levels must continue to come down, although progress has been made.

OSLO – Electronics manufacturing services firm Kitron reported first-quarter revenue of NOK 450.4 million, up 4.8% year-over-year.

EBIT was NOK 21.5 million, up nearly 94% compared to the same period last year. EBITDA was NOK 30.4 million, up 62% year-over-year.

Orders for the quarter were NOK 448.1 million, while the order backlog was NOK 797 million, up 9.2% and down 2.5% respectively.

Kitron ranked 45th on this year's CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Top 50. 

NOK 1 = US$0.1744

TOKYO – DuPont-Toray has filed a lawsuit in Tokyo District Court against Ube Industries for allegedly infringing a Japanese patent related to formulation and properties of polyimide film used in chip-on-flex circuits.

In its court filing, DuPont-Toray alleges Ube has infringed patent no. 4777471 covering Kapton polyimide film.

The firm says Ube manufactured and sold polyimide film graded as UPILEX SGAV1.