Gartner predicted that worldwide semiconductor capital spending will decline 0.7 per cent in 2016 to $64.3 billion (€58.6 billion). This is an upgrade from the estimated 2 per cent decline in Gartner's previous quarterly forecast. The research company noted that economic instability, inventory excess, weak demand for PCs, tablets, and mobile products in the past three years are behind the slow growth in the semiconductor industry. Gartner is forecasting growth of 2.7 per cent for 2017 and 3.8 per cent in 2018. Report