Worldwide vertical market IT spending is projected to
total $2.7 trillion in 2009, a 0.5% increase from 2008,according to analyst
Gartner.
It predicts utilities, healthcare and government will be the
strongest-growing segments of the market in 2009.
"The economic slowdown, triggered by the US sub-prime market
crisis, along with fluctuating oil prices and currency exchange
rates, impacted many industries and countries around the world in
IT spending," said Gartner analyst John-David Lovelock.
"Internal spending, hardware and system integration in the
financial sector were particularly hard-hit in 2008, and will
continue suffering through 2009," he said.
In contrast, healthcare grew 8.3% worldwide in 2008, and
utilities grew 7.7%, Lovelock said.
The utilities industry is forecast to yield the biggest growth
in 2009, at 2.9%. Smart grids and energy supplies are viewed as
national and strategic issues in many countries, and spending on IT
is a necessity, said the analyst.
The healthcare industry is expected to post the second highest
increase in 2009, with 2.2% growth. Countries in which healthcare
is primarily publicly funded will be sheltered from the worst of
the economic turmoil. Gartner said governments tend to keep
healthcare funding at least stable in difficult economic
conditions.