Research by IC Insights suggested that various companies in the sector are expecting an increase in sales compared to the fourth quarter of 2009, even though first quarters tend to be slow.
The website predicted there could be higher chip prices in the future, since fourth quarter 300-mm semiconductor fabrication capacity surpassed 95 per cent, a trend that can lead to increased value.
It added: "Current forecasts from a number of different sources all point to at least a good (i.e., 15 per cent growth) and possibly great year (i.e., 20 per cent) for the 2010 IC industry."
IC Insights stressed that forecasts should not be treated as a guarantee, but there is an increasingly positive outlook appearing in the industry.
The firm recently claimed that all but four IC product categories are likely to enjoy a positive 12 months, with flash memory and DRAM set to be among the big winners.
