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Market News

AUSTIN, TX – National Instruments (NI) has reported a fourth-quarter preliminary revenue estimate of $202 million. This is a 1% year-over-year decline. The company is forecasting approximately $820 million in revenue for the year, an 11% increase year-over-year.

NEW YORK -- Is the semiconductor industry about to turn up? One Wall Street analyst thinks so.

Wachovia analyst David Wong has upgraded the semiconductor sector to overweight from market weight, saying a recovery could come in the next quarter.

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) this year will oversee distribution of Apple products in mainland China, according to various media reports, including China's Commercial Times.

Quoting an unnamed Taiwanese media sources, the reports claim Hon Hai plans to increase IT product sales channels in China using its consumer electronics division and mainland subsidiary channel distributor Cyber Mart.

One report went so far as to claim that Hon Hai seeks to become the largest channel distributor of consumer electronics for mainland China.

CONCORD, NH -- A state committee will soon contemplate a bill banning the disposal of electronics waste into landfills.

SAN JOSE -- Global semiconductor sales fell almost 10% year-over-year in November to $20.8 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association said today.

BANNOCKBURN, IL -- The 90-day moving average of November shipments of bare PWBs fell 7% year-over-year and orders slumped 18.8%, according to the latest survey of the nation's board fabricators.

For the month, rigid shipments dropped 5.8% and bookings fell 17.3%, while flex circuit shipments dropped 22.6% and bookings plunged 36.8%, IPC said.