Market vision

For September 1999, the North American semiconductor-equipment industry posted a book-to-bill ratio of 1.08, according to Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI). Three-month average shipments dipped by 3% to $1.37 billion in September 1999, although 62% above year ago totals. Three-month average bookings in September 1999 were $1.48 billion, a figure 208 % above the all-time September 1998 low of $481 million. . . . Stanford Resources Inc. (San Jose, CA; www.stanfordresources.com), a display market research company, reports that the worldwide CRT monitor market is projected to grow from 106.3 million units in 1999, valued at $19.2 billion, to 151.3 million units in 2005, valued at $23.5 billion.