TOKYO : Tokyo Electron Ltd, Japan's leading maker of semiconductor manufacturing tools, on Thursday forecast its profit to dip by more than a third from a record high as its customers slowed investment in new plant.
Big chipmakers such as Taiwan's TSMC have cut investment levels this year because they expects softer demand due to a slowing global economy. "We will look at it closely to see whether or not it has an affect," he said at a press briefing. China is an important market for the company including growing demand there for less advanced equipment that would not be subject to restrictions, he added.