PARIS — Although the overall semiconductor market is expected to drop by 46 percent in 2009, it shows signs of rapid recovery, according to The Information Network market research company (New Tripoli, Pennsylvania).

To illustrate this point, The Information Network said it considers Applied Materials' results as a confirmation that "the downturn in the semiconductor equipment market is over".

Revenue for the company's fiscal third quarter was indeed $1.13 billion, up 10 percent from the previous quarter, Applied (Santa Clara, Calif.) said.

The company narrowed its GAAP net loss for the quarter compared to $255 million, or 19 cents per share, in the previous quarter. In the year-ago quarter, Applied posted a GAAP net income of $165 million, or 12 cents per share.

Commenting on the global semiconductor equipment market, Dr. Robert Castellano, president of The Information Network, declared: "July marked a huge ramp in semiconductor equipment purchases as leading foundries. $755 million in semiconductor equipment was purchased in July, up 12.0 percent from $677 million in June 2009."

He continued: "We see growth continuing sequentially in August, increasing 14.6 percent and taking sales to $869 million."

In May, Castellano noted that many signs were pointing to a global recovery in the IC sectors but vendors of semiconductor manufacturing equipment would probably not experience an upswing before at least August.

The Information Network is offering for sale through its website a new report titled, "The Global Market for Equipment and Materials for IC Manufacturing."