* CEO: Q2 orders, billing patterns better than expected

* CEO: Q2 depends on June but 'so far, so good'

* Shares jump 4 pct to $15.80 (Adds more Otellini comments, background)

SANTA CLARA, California, May 12 (Reuters) - Intel Corp's (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) orders and billing patterns so far in the second quarter have been slightly better than expected, Chief Executive Paul Otellini said on Tuesday.

He told investors that second-quarter sales depend on how they fare in June but "so far, so good" -- in remarks that sent shares of the world's biggest chip maker up as much as 4 percent in extended trading.

"We are halfway through Q2," Otellini said. "In terms of our order pattern and our billing pattern, it's a little better than expected."

Last month, Otellini said the worst was over for the battered tech sector as Intel reported its first-quarter earnings, but its shares slid as executives said economic uncertainty prevented them from giving a detailed outlook.

Intel, which controls 80 percent of the microprocessor market, is seen as a bellwether for the personal computer and technology industry. But it has struggled in the economic downturn, shutting plants and trimming 1,400 jobs since the fourth quarter.

Otellini said on Tuesday that Intel should end the year with around 78,000 employees, down about 25 percent from a peak of 103,000 in 2006.