61.   The Japanese last month proposed replacing the agreement with a government-level forum that would limit its activities to encouraging international cooperation in the chip industry.

62.   The only problem, some analysts said, is that partnerships in the chip industry have not turned out very well in the past.

63.   The ratio measures the strength of the chip industry in North America by comparing new orders against the value of chips shipped each month.

64.   The ratio measures the strength of the chip industry in North America by comparing new orders to the number of chips shipped each month.

65.   This year, however, the chip industry has slammed into a brick wall.

66.   When the ratio is lower than one, the chip industry is contracting.

67.   Will there be a majaor restructuring of the chip industry in town?

68.   While Sematech can rightly claim some credit for this reversal, the chip industry has received a great deal of help from larger technological and international trends.

69.   Morgan said the chip tool industry is showing signs of bottoming out, with semiconductor makers placing orders for new, updated equipment.

70.   The fact that brokerages have been recently conflicted on the health and prospects of the chip industry is actually encouraging to Johnson of First Albany.