IDC Reports Jump In Expected IT SpendingIDC Reports Jump In Expected IT Spending

IT buyers' expectations for spending over the next 12 months has risen, as memories of the potential economic impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and higher oil prices fade, a research firm said Thursday.

In addition, a decent outlook for next year's economy is also having a positive effect on U.S. buyers, who say they expect to increase IT spending over the next 12 months by 7.2 percent, International Data Corp. said. Last month, buyers had predicted a 2.8 percent increase.

For the last two months, uncertainty had resulted in low spending predictions. That, however, has changed, as buyers realized that "the economy is still trundling right along, and that for companies to take advantage of this economic growth they will need to invest in IT to grow the business," IDC analyst John Gantz said.

IDC pegs IT spending in the United States over the next 12 months at 5 percent.