Worldwide IT spending is forecast to total $3.6 trillion in 2011, a 5.1 percent increase from 2010, according to the latest outlook by Gartner, Inc. In 2010, worldwide IT spending totaled $3.4 trillion, up 5.4 percent from 2009 levels.
Real GDP in the OECD area grew by 0.6% in the third quarter of 2010, down from the 0.9% of the previous quarter. Capital formation contributed 0.2 percentage point to overall growth, down from the 0.5 percentage point recorded in the second quarter. Private consumption was the main contributor, adding 0.4 percentage point to overall growth; while stockbuilding contributed 0.3 percentage point. For the third consecutive quarter, net exports dragged down GDP growth (by 0.3 percentage point in the third quarter of 2010).
Confidence levels are higher in Latin America than in any other part of the world, with the region leading the way in business optimism into the new year, according to a global survey of 5,700 senior executives by Grant Thornton International Ltd.
Integra Realty Resources, Inc. (Integra) just released its 2011 IRR-Viewpoint, the industry’s annual compendium of real estate valuation, trends and forecasts. This year’s report provides thorough data and analysis on local, national and international market conditions for nine industry sectors, including office, retail, multifamily, industrial, lodging, and green building properties throughout the United States, Mexico, Japan and Canada.
Global IT purchases will rise 7.1 percent in 2011 to $1.7 trillion, according to new forecast data from Forrester Research, Inc. While the 2011 global tech market will look similar to the 7.2 percent market growth experienced in 2010, there are significant differences between the two years in terms of both products and geographies.
Mortgage rates continue to yo-yo up and down, with the average rate on the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling back to 4.94 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.42 discount and origination points.
The recovery will pick up steam in 2011, but growth will remain moderate, according to the consensus forecast of 25 economists surveyed for legal and business publisher BNA's annual outlook on the U.S. and international economy.
The U.S. real estate market offers a stronger investment opportunity for foreign real estate investors’ money than it has in the last 10 years, according to the results of the 19th Annual Survey, highlighting trends in international real estate investment, taken among members of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate, (AFIRE). Survey respondents hold more than $627 billion of real estate globally, including $265 billion in the U.S. The survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2010 by James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, Wisconsin School of Business.
Renowned biotech specialist, venture capitalist, author and keynote speaker Mr. Burrill offers his predictions for biotech. He sees a dynamic industry writing a new "play book" in response to an environment that: favors risk mitigated companies rather than earlier stage development companies that have a much higher risk profile; emerging biotech markets, particularly in Brazil, Chile, China, India, Malaysia and Russia, growing faster than the United States and Europe; challenges created by healthcare reform; and opportunities for companies operating in the biogreentech space.
