Western European IT services to grow 3.5% in 2005

Gartner expects IT services revenue growth of 3.5% to 163 bln euros in Western Europe during 2005, compared with 157.9 bln euros in 2004. From 2006 the market will grow at an around 3.9% rate a year, to reach 185 bln euros in 2008. Business process outsourcing is expected to grow at 6.6% in 2005, with financial services and the public sector set to be the most active in the segment.

Gartner forecasts 5.6% growth in full-year 2005 in the UK market to 50.3 bln. German IT services market will grow 3.2% to 31.8 bln in 2005, with French market growth forecast at 2.1% to 22.1 bln. In Italy, the growth rate is expected to be 1.8% for revenue of 12.2 bln, while in Spain, IT services revenue is forecast to rise 2.2% to 7.8 bln. In the Netherlands, 3.1% growth is expected in 2005 to 10.6 bln. In the Nordic region, growth is pegged at 2.3% to 13.9 bln.