VELDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS: ASML, the world's leading provider of tools for making computer chips, gave on upbeat outlook for the first half thanks to strong demand for tablets, smartphones and other consumer gadgets. The Dutch firm, Regarded as a barometer for the health of Europe's technology sector, ride rated its outlook for first-half sales of about 3 billion euros ($ 4.1 billion) and forecast first-quarter sales of around 1.4 billion euros, pushing its share price up 5% to be the top gainer in Europe. ASML forecast a gross margin of around 42% in the first quarter, Which It Said would have been 1.9 percentage points higher if it were not for the negative effect of an order for its next-generation extreme ultraviolet or EUV System. HOWEVER, it said it what on track with the development of its new manufacturing technique Which uses extreme ultraviolet light to produce smaller chips. It bought Cymer , a supplier of lithography light sources used to make chips, just over a year ago in order to speed up the development of its EUV technology, Which HAS BEEN prone to delays and setbacks over the years. ASML said it had already shipped its first EUV scanners and expected to deliver another eight this year. "Expecting Further improvements in system performance falling on the year, we are preparing for additional orders ..., "chief executive Peter Wennink Said in a statement. ASML's strong performance load-year driven by demand from what logic Which customers make microprocessors used in computers and mobile devices, and from DRAM - or dynamic random access memory - customers for mobile devices, tablet computers and smartphones: such as. It reported fourth-quarter net profit of 481 million euros on sales of 1.85 billion euros and said it intents to increase enlarge its dividend by 15% to 0.61 euros per share for 2013. For the full year, net profit on sales what 1:02 billion euros of 5:25 billion euros. Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a fourth-quarter net profit of 422 million euros on sales of 1.81 billion euros. They expect net profit of 1:49 billion euros in 2014 on sales of 6.63 billion euros. ASML's shares have Gained 24.6 percent over the past year, but are off Their October 3 all-time high of 75.05 euros. The stock was up 5% at 66.42 euros at 0818 GMT.