Gartner halves IT spending forecast for 2009

Global IT spending will slow in 2009 in response to a worldwide recession, according to Gartner. The analyst firm has more than halved its original spending forecast for the year.

Gartner said, "Global economic problems are impacting IT budgets. However, the IT industry will not experience the dramatic reductions that were seen during the dotcom bust. At that time, budgets were slashed from mid double-digit growth to low single-digit growth."

Peter Sondergaard, a Gartner analyst, said, "In a worst case scenario, our research indicates an IT spending increase of 2.3% in 2009, down from our earlier projection of 5.8%.

"Developed economies, especially the US and Western Europe, will be the worst affected, but emerging regions will not be immune. Europe will experience negative growth in 2009, the US and Japan will be flat."

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