Demand slows for electronic connectors
Worldwide sales of electronic connectors slowed to 1.5 percent during the first quarter of 1998, compared to the same period last year when sales grew at 4.7 percent, according to analysts from Bishop & Associates Inc. of St. Charles, Ill. The primary reason for the connector market is the slumping PC industry. In North America, demand for PCs, disk drives, and other peripherals is slowing because of excess inventory. Japan has trouble in all its major electronics markets. Europe is the strongest region for connector demand, with the telecommunications sector acting as the major driver, Bishop & Associates analysts say. Their conclusion: 1998 will be a difficult year, with the most optimistic growth projections hovering around 4 percent. If the Asian electronics slump continues, growth will be less. - J.K.
