Forrester Research has trimmed its forecast for U.S. IT spending for the second time in less than two months, citing the slowing economy. In a report released today, Forrester predicts that U.S. business purchases of IT goods and services will grow by 2.8 percent, a decrease from its prediction in December of 4.6 percent growth. The December number was itself a revision from the research firm's original 2008 IT spending estimate from October 2007, when it predicted 8 percent spending growth.
"Our forecast is based on a mild recession in the US economy in the first two to three quarters of 2008," said Forrester Research Vice President Andrew Bartels. "While it is by no means certain that the US economy will in fact experience a recession, the risks of one are high enough to justify a more conservative outlook for the IT market."
Some data center services will fare better than the broader IT market, however. Forrester projects that while demand for IT consulting and integration services will weaken, demand for IT outsourcing will increase by 9 percent this year.
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