Book-to-Bill Ratio Slips in Jan.

North American semiconductor equipment makers, hurt by a slowdown in spending for computers and other electronics, continued to feel the effects in January, the industry’s trade group said. The companies posted $81 in orders in January for every $100 of products shipped, according to preliminary data from Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International. The ratio of bookings to billings was well off December’s performance, when equipment makers posted $99 in orders for every $100 shipped, according to revised data. The ratio has slipped every month since August. Total bookings in January fell 21% to $1.89 billion, from $2.38 billion in December.