Take, for example, the semiconductor market: Here you have a market that has created employment sectors on its own merit, but has also created support markets in software, fabrication equipment, assembly, packaging, test and chemicals, etc.

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Outside of Singapore, regional tech companies are mostly final-assembly contractors and semiconductor packaging companies.

CNN: Money & Investing

Packaging and assembly equipment orders are seen down 6.1% this year, with a further 13.5% drop next year, before a 26.2% rise in 2013.

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