US-based SEMI ((Semiconductor Equipment Materials International) recently unveiled that global semiconductor industry’s capex (capital spending) forecast will increase 24% year-on-year to US$67.7 billion in 2021, 10% higher than expected, the Commercial Daily News reported on June 11. The memory semiconductor capex forecast from IC manufacturers is to reach US$30 billion in 2020, followed by advanced logic and foundry’s US$29 billion. 3D NAND flash is to make a significant contribution to increasing global semiconductor capex with a 30% uptick in 2020 and an estimated 17% growth in 2021. The DRAM semiconductor capex will surge by 50% in 2021, after an 11% decline in 2020. Meanwhile, the annual capex for CMOS image sensors will maintain a 36% uptick in 2021, following a whopping 60% boost in 2020. Another growth driver for capex will be power semiconductor products, which are estimated to grow 16% in 2020 and up to 67% in 2021.