The figures are based on statistics gathered by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average of chip shipments.

Increases were reported for a number of product categories on a three-month rolling average basis. Optoelectronics, sensors, total analog and microprocessors performed above the worldwide levels. On the logic side, total logic returned to positive growth, registering a 5.1 percent increase in sales after several months of decline, the ESIA said.

Looking at application-specific chips, analog devices used in automotive rose sharply, growing on a three-month rolling average basis by 7.1 percent in September compared to the previous month.

Sales were up sequentially in all geographic regions with Europe and the Asia-Pacific region growing fastest at 8.8 percent, although Europe remains a long way behind where it was in 2008. Asia-Pacific grew to $10.94 billion three-month averages sales in September. Of this China is responsible for $4.07 billion, up 8.3 percent from $3.76 billion in August.

ESIA publishes WSTS numbers as a three-month average in line with the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). The SIA argues that this smoothes out the data which would otherwise display the effects of in-quarter reporting that tend to treat March, June, September and December as five-week months.

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