Chip-related companies gained after the IDC said worldwide semiconductor sales will rise by 18 percent to $188.8 billion in 2004 on stronger-than-expected demand for personal computers and mobile phones. In April, the market researcher forecast 16 percent sales growth for 2004.
ST, Europe's biggest semiconductor maker, rose 1.5 percent to 21.71 euros. ASML, the world's largest maker of lithography machines used to etch circuits on computer chips, gained 1 percent to 16.17 euros. Infineon Technologies AG, Europe's No. 2 chipmaker, climbed 1 percent to 11.09 euros. Royal Philips Electronics NV, the region's No. 3 chipmaker and its biggest consumer electronics company, added 1.3 percent to 23.49 euros.
``Semiconductors are at the beginning of the technology chain,'' said Jerome Forneris, who helps manage about $5 billion in assets at Banque Martin Maurel in Marseille. ``If chips take off, we can expect an increase in corporate investment in technology.''
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