Worldwide motherboard shipment benefited from the demand increase in the clone market, low inventory levels and the peak season in the Chinese market. The shipment performance in the first quarter of 2009 exceeded the expectations of motherboard manufacturers and component suppliers. Worldwide motherboard shipment volume in the first quarter of 2009 is estimated at 32.0 million units. Still, due to the unfavorable economic environment and tight supply of key components, shipment fell almost 16% year-on-year and 6% sequentially.