SAN JOSE – North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.03 billion in orders in May, down 5% sequentially, and down 37% year-over-year, SEMI reported.

The book-to-bill ratio for May was 0.79.

The three-month average of worldwide billings was $1.31 billion, down 2% compared to April, and down 21% from the same period last year, the association said.

"Booking are approaching levels observed in 2005, which was the last time the semiconductor industry reported a year-over-year decline,” said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. “The data does not indicate a change in this trend over the next quarter."