IDC Envisions 5 Percent IT Growth In 2006

IDC predicted Wednesday that IT spending in the United States will grow 5 percent in 2006.

The market research firm’s FutureScan unit said its surveys taken in the wake of Hurricane Katrina revealed that users were “down” in their spending plans after the disaster hit the Gulf Coast. “Then last month, they more than doubled their spending outlook when users realized the economy was still perking along,” said John Gantz, IDC’s chief research officer, in a statement.

Gantz wrote that different indicators were aligned including buyer expectations, vendor revenue forecasts, and macroeconomic indicators. The indicators lined up to point to a 5 percent IT growth expectation for the year.

“While we don’t think the indicators will stay this close in future editions of FutureScan,” said Gantz, “we are gratified that they bracket our official forecast for IT spending.”