STAMFORD, CT - Global inventories of semiconductors were up in the fourth quarter, due to lackluster sales and lower expectations of first quarter sales, according to technology consulting firm  Gartner.

The company’s inventory index report comes amid concerns about U.S. and global economies. For the global technology industry, the report says a recession could send demand for electronics products into a decline.

Gartner cautions that rising inventories are a sign that orders are falling or being cancelled, and that semiconductor manufacturers may need to slow production to stave off over supply.

The company expects its inventory index to remain in the "caution zone" for the first and possibly second quarters of the year, according to Gartner analyst Gerald Van Hoy.

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