To: T L Comiskey who wrote (74659 ) 10/26/1998 5:28:00 PM From: Mohan Marette Read Replies (4) | Respond to
Europe PC sales set to Climb -If this is slow down give me more of the same please.Europe PC Sales Still Set To Climb Personal computer sales in Western Europe will continue to boom in the remainder of 1998 and next year as consumers shrug aside the economic turmoil in Asia, British technology research company CONTEXT said today. Earlier today, CONTEXT published its latest data for Western Europe's third quarter which showed PC sales had been boosted by companies upgrading their information technology for the implementation of the Euro and combating the millennium computer timebomb. Overall sales in the quarter rose 22.4 percent to 5.25 million PCs, compared with the same period last year . COMPAQ Computer Corp of the U.S. improved its position as market leader, while direct seller Dell Computer Corp (DELL - news) almost doubled its sales to keep second place. ''Growth was fueled by rising corporate investment in IT (Information Technology), due to preparations for the year 2000 and the implementation of the Euro, as well as an upturn in some countries' consumer segments,'' CONTEXT said in a statement. In an interview, Davies said a feared slowdown induced by economic uncertainty had never materialized. Although prices were under some pressure, corporate need for new equipment bolstered demand. ''Prices weren't under that much pressure in Q3 because of business demand -- they will pay what it takes to make business run smoothly. Business is starting to wake up to this (Millennium bomb problem) and the need to do something about it. They are looking to refresh IT programs,'' Davies said. Davies said sales should accelerate in the run-up to Christmas. Next year should be strong too, although the PC business was notoriously fickle. In April, CONTEXT predicted growth of 18 to 20 percent for 1998. 1999 would see growth of 20 to 22 percent, it said, with sales reaching about 28.5 million PCs for the year. In 1997 western European PC sales totaled 19.7 million.
