Semiconductor stocks are caught in a spell of selling pressure. The group is currently down 0.7% after it butted up against its 50-day average in the prior session. Although its lack of direction in the past few sessions has made for a lackluster finish to the first quarter, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index is on pace for a 6.5% quarterly gain. That compares favorably to the S&P 500's first quarter gain of 5.5%.