EL SEGUNDO, CA — The U.S. in 2006 is expected to maintain its lead in the worldwide electronics equipment design with the nation’s activities in this area driving the most semiconductor purchasing of any country, according to new data from iSuppli Corp. However, China’s rapid growth in electronic-design-generated semiconductor purchasing activity is continuing and the country is closing the gap, the research firm said.

“Design of electronic goods leads directly to equipment production, which in turn drives semiconductor purchasing. Companies that engage in design of electronic equipment, such as PCs, mobile phones and televisions, also are responsible for specifying the use of particular chips in the products being developed,” said Min-Sun Moon, OEM spend analyst for iSuppli. “Thus, these companies and the nations where they operate have a major influence on global semiconductor spending.”