Forrester revises global IT market predictions

US set to be a star performer, but European IT market is lagging behind, analyst claims

Global view: Europe's recent financial crises have caused the Euro to weaken

Market watcher Forrester has adjusted its 2010 IT sector forecast, after the US showed a higher rate of growth to the detriment of Europe.

According to Andrew Bartels, Forrester vice president and principal analyst, the US IT industry could see growth of 8.4 per cent this year, an increase on the 6.6 per cent previously predicted. Globally the growth rate is set to fall from 8.1 per cent to 7.7 per cent.

Part of the shift was accredited to a strengthening US dollar, and also economic crises such as Greece, which have cause the euro to slump in value.

In a summary, Bartels said computer equipment and software will lead the pack.

“PCs, peripherals and storage equipment will lead the computer category and operating system software and applications will set the pace for software,” he said.

Bartels also said in the SME space, communications equipment purchases are looking up.

However, in less positive news for the channel, Forrester is predicting that IT services will lag "a bit" with systems integration project work waiting for licensed software purchases to rise.

“Vendors are still approaching 2010 with caution,” he added. “That’s understandable, but too much caution will leave vendors standing at the station after the train has left. It is time to set strategic sales and marketing plans that assume a healthy 2010 tech market, especially if you are selling computer equipment and software.”