FWIW:
February 4, 1998 02:23 AM
PARIS, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates said in a newspaper interview published on Wednesday the company's sales were beginning to slow in Asia due to the financial crisis, although he remained optimistic in the long term.
"We are beginning to see a slowdown in our sales," he said in an interview with financial daily La Tribune. "In reality, there is a triple effect: PC sales are falling, programmes for PCs are suffering and there is also the impact of falling exchange rates."
He said the Asian crisis would not change Microsoft's investment plans, which were realised on a long term basis.
"I think that the future for Asia is very bright, and currently, China is not affected. Three million computers were sold there in 1997 and sales are not slowing down," he said.
"In the short term, however, as Microsoft makes 30 percent of its sales there, the impact of the crisis will be felt."
((Paris newsroom, +33 1 4221 5452, fax +33 1 4236 1072, paris.newsroom@reuters.com))
REUTERS |
