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Asia-Pacific PC sales improve

The figure represents more than 2 per cent growth over the last quarter of 1998, according to International Data Corporation.

T O D A Y

• Cisco upgrades in India • Asia-Pacific PC sales • Datapro shop in Dhaka

The annual growth rate in Q1 this year was the highest figure since second quarter of 1996.

Also, Q1 1999 marked the first quarter in over three years that every Asian country market enjoyed positive annual growth, the corporation said.

Market gains were supported by continuing growth in key countries, including India, China, Australia and Taiwan.

However, markets plagued by the crisis for the past two years turned in strong performances in Q1 as their economies strengthened.

As currency values have remained stable in the region for the past two quarters and regional stock markets have been producing strong gains since the end of 1998, it now appears certain that regional markets' recovery is well underway.

As a consequence of this trend and strong Q1 results, IDC increased its regional forecast in 1999 to 12.9 million unit shipments, which will represent a more than 23 per cent growth over the previous year.

Competitively, IBM maintained its lead in the regional PC market in Q1 with unit shipments of approximately 259,000, an increase of 49 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

IBM performed well in most regional markets, but the vendor's growth was boosted to a great extent by success in Korea, Australia and Taiwan.

Compaq maintained its second place in Q1 1999 with 223,000 unit shipments or 7.5 per cent more than it shipped in the first quarter of last year.

Legend remained in the third place with unit shipments surging 70.4 per cent, and IDC statement said.

UNI

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