Singapore - Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor, one of the largest chipmakers worldwide, on Friday posted a net loss of 98.8 million US dollars for the first quarter of
2009, compared to a profit of 2.4 million US dollars in the same period a year ago.

Revenue for the first three months of 2009 reached 243.9 million US dollars, down 37.2 per cent from a year earlier, the company said in a statement.

However, Chartered expects a better second quarter, with revenue rising between 32 and 37 per cent from the first quarter and a net loss between 54 and 64 million US dollars.

"The improvement in customer orders and the resulting sequential growth expectation into the second quarter are definitely encouraging signs," said chief executive officer Chia Song Hwee.

"Due to macroeconomic conditions that continue to be challenging, it is difficult, however, to predict the growth trend beyond the second quarter," he added. (dpa)