IT buyers expect spending to grow 7.5% in the next 12 months, while Wall Street analysts forecast even slightly higher growth in vendor revenues, according to IDC FutureScan. U.S. corporate profit growth is expected to fall from 19% in 2006 to 4% in 2007, according to the economists polled by Consensus Economics, Inc., last month. 

Continue reading... "IDC Expects 6% IT Growth; AMR Finds ERP Budgets Jump 12.3% in 2007" »

November 14, 2006 11:50 PM | Permalink

Global paid product placement spending surged 42.2% to $2.21 billion in 2005 with double-digit growth expected to continue in 2006 and beyond, according to PQ Media, a custom media research firm.

Global paid product placement spending in TV, film and other media is expected to climb another 38.8% to $3.07 billion in 2006, driven by the continued shift in the world's leading markets toward a paid placement structure from a barter and added-value model, according to the PQ Media Global Product Placement Forecast 2006

Continue reading... "Global Paid Product Placement Spending Surpasses $2 billion in 2005" »

November 14, 2006 11:36 PM | Permalink

401(k) November 10, 2006, marks the 25th anniversary of the 401(k) and now these plans have 47 million active participants, more than twice the 21 million who participate in private-sector defined benefit pensions. 401(k) plans held $2.4 trillion in assets in 2005, compared to $1.9 trillion in assets in all private-sector defined benefit pensions, according to a new study by the Investment Company Institute.

Continue reading... "401k Turns 25 Years; Grew to 47 million Active Participants" »

November 14, 2006 11:09 PM | Permalink

Today Google announced that they have completed the acquisition of YouTube. Based on today’s closing price of $481.03 per share, the deal is already worth $1.775 billion to YouTube’s shareholders.

But the combination of a YouTube copyright crackdown and increased competition could mean that YouTube may find it difficult to stay on top indefinitely, writes via CNN Money. Online video competitors are taking different approaches:

Continue reading... "Google Closed YouTube Deal for $1.78 billion; Rivals Sense Opportunity" »

November 14, 2006 3:57 PM | Permalink

Losses from extreme weather could top $1 trillion in a single year by 2040, financial experts warned at the UN's conference on global warming. The trillion-dollar projection comprises total losses from droughts, storm surges, hurricanes and floods.

Continue reading... "Weather Disaster Losses Could Top $1 trillion in an Year, UN" »

November 14, 2006 3:34 PM | Permalink

In 2005/06, the number of international students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions remained steady at 564,766, within a fraction of a percent of the previous year's totals, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE). This marks the seventh year in a row that America has hosted more than half a million foreign students, with a peak of 586,323 three years ago followed by declines of 2.4% and 1.3% in the past two years.  India is the leading place of origin for international students with 76,503 students in the U.S. in 2005/06 followed by #2 China (62,582), #3 Korea (58,847).

Continue reading... "India No.1 Origin of U.S. International Students at 13.5%; China No.2 at 11.1%" »

November 14, 2006 1:40 PM | Permalink

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that U.S. retail and food services sales for October,  were $363.7 billion, a decrease of 0.2% from the previous month, but up 4.5%  from October 2005. This is  second consecutive monthly decline in retail sales, following a 0.8% fall in September.  Total sales for the August through October 2006 period were up 5.3% from the same period a year ago. 

Continue reading... "Core Inflation Biggest Drop in 13 Yrs; Retail Sales Declined 0.2%; Inventories Rose 0.4%" »

November 14, 2006 11:58 AM | Permalink

Venture capital investment in China rose 47% from an year earlier to $361.1 million in 54 deals during the third quarter, putting China on course to beat last year's total of $1.2 billion in 151 deals, according to the China Quarterly Venture Capital Report released today by Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne.  Through the first nine months of the year, there has now been $1.18 billion directed to 145 deals. 

Continue reading... "Venture Capital Investing in China Grows 47% to $361M in 3Q" »

November 14, 2006 11:22 AM | Permalink

Internet advertising revenues grew 33% in the third quarter of 2006 from an year ago to reach a new record of $4.2 billion.  for the third quarter of 2006, according to The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers data released today. The 2006 third quarter revenues represent a 2% increase over the Q2 2006 total of nearly $4.1 billion.

Continue reading... "Internet Ad Revenues Jumped 33% to Hit $4.2 billion in Q3, IAB/PWC" »

November 14, 2006 10:09 AM | Permalink

Trade You a Laptop? Online Sites Promote The Art of the Barter: About 400,000 firms barter each year, accounting for about $9 billion in U.S. sales, according to barter-industry group International Reciprocal Trade Association. BarterYourServices.com, launched in 2004, now counts 300 small businesses as members. U-Exchange.com,  founded in 2005, just hit 11,000 profiles, 60% of them businesses and 40% consumers. At SwapThing.com, which started last year, about 2,400 businesses have signed up.

Continue reading... "WSJ By The Numbers - Top 10 for Nov.14" »

November 14, 2006 9:50 AM | Permalink