Worldwide 2005 IT spending growth: 5% in USA, 4% in Western Europe, 1% in Japan

Over the next five years, IDC expects to see worldwide IT market growth slightly outpace nominal GDP growth. The global IT market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 6.0% between 2005 and 2009. In Europe, however, worsening economic conditions saw some large firms holding back on major IT purchases, with the result that the Western Europe IT market is now expected to grow by only 4% in 2005. In Japan, IT spending will increase by just 1% while US technology spending is expected to grow by 5% in 2005.