Worldwide sales of semiconductor chips rose 5.1 percent in October to $21.7 billion, compared with a month earlier, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association trade group.

The growth shows that the chip industry, a bellwether for the overall economy, is still on the mend heading into the holiday season. But sales for October are still 3.5 percent below the $22.5 billion reported a year ago. For the first 10 months of the year, chip sales are $180 billion, down 16.6 percent from $215.8 billion a year ago. The sales numbers are a three-month moving average.

“October is historically a strong month for ...

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