Referring to the market research organization, IC Insights, Electronics News reported on Nov. 21, next year’s capital expenditure of semiconductors will 48%. 
According to IC Insights, ST Micro has recently announced it expects an increase of 33% on capital expenditure next year and Infinion also announced its 60 % increase plan. Large semiconductor companies are expected to largely increase investment on facilities. 
Both companies such as Taiwan’s TSMC and UMC also announced of doubling their expenditures next year. 
IC Insights explain the increase trend is because the scale of sales of products using semiconductors has jumped. 
Especially the mobile phone market has achieved the largest increase in sales of 3.2%, which doubled the primary outlook of 15%. 
In addition, semiconductors’ annual growth of 11% will be maintained from 2002 to 2007. This is because shipment quantity may only increase 8%, but average sales prices is has increased 3%. 
Source: Yonhap News Agency, November 11, 2003