STAMFORD, CT – Worldwide IT spending is forecast to total $3.6 trillion in 2011, up 5.1% from 2010, says Gartner. In 2010, worldwide IT spending totaled $3.4 trillion, up 5.4% from 2009 levels.

EL SEGUNDO – DRAM pricing declined in December to its lowest point of the year, a leading research firm said.

TEMPE, AZ – Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in December for the 17th consecutive month, with the PMI registering 57%, up 0.4 percentage points, says the Institute for Supply Management.

A reading above 50% indicates the manufacturing economy is generally expanding.

New orders were 60.9%, up 4.3 percentage points, while production, at 60.7%, increased 5.7 points. Inventories fell 4.9 points to 51.8%, and customer inventories dropped 5.5 points to 40%. Backlogs were up 1 percentage point to 47%.

ISM spokesperson Norbert J. Ore said, “The manufacturing sector continued its growth trend, as indicated by this month's report. We saw significant recovery for much of the US manufacturing sector in 2010. The recovery centered on strength in autos, metals, food, machinery, computers and electronics, while those industries tied primarily to housing continue to struggle. Additionally, manufacturers that export have benefitted from both global demand and the weaker dollar. December's strong readings in new orders and production, combined with positive comments from the panel, should create momentum as we go into the first quarter of 2011.”

The overall economy grew for the 20th consecutive month, says the firm.

PHOENIX – Charlie Barnhart Associates has published a new report on electronics outsourcing in emerging countries.

The 80-page Next Horizons in Electronics Manufacturing: Building a Successful Global Strategy comprises data and analysis geared specifically to EMS professionals charged with planning a global strategy.

The report includes profiles on Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Chile, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.

It discusses the backgrounds and a brief history of each geography; an assessment of each geography’s market potential for electronics; infrastructure issues relevant to manufacturing; population statistics: workers vs. buyers; EMS profiles of select companies already operating in the geography, as well as industry association activity, and CBA’s assessment of opportunities and challenges, plus an analytical framework for decision-making.

For a complimentary copy of the executive summary, visit http://charliebarnhart.com/next-horizon/. 

LONDON -- The global market for SMT equipment is projected to top $5.5 billion by 2015, with growth driven by technological advancements, particularly component miniaturization, according to a new research report.

BEIJING -- China has unveiled a supercomputer incorporating thousands of graphics chips and capable of achieving a sustained performance of 2.5 petaflops.

WASHINGTON — President Obama recently signed legislation reinstating and extending tax benefits for electronics companies.

ZHENGZHOU CITY -- Foxconn is nearing completion on the first phase of a massive campus in this northern China city and will hire more than 140,000 workers in the coming year, a local news source is reporting.

DANDERYD, SWEDEN -- Electronics manufacturing services provider NOTE has signed an agreement to divest its 50% holding in a subsidiary in Krakow, Poland.

TOKYO — Hitachi is calling published reports of the sale of its LCD manufacturing unit to Foxconn premature.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — Orders for printed circuit boards from North American fabricators rose 5% year-over-year in November.

NEWARK, NY -- IEC Electronics has received a $7.4 million add-on order to build circuit boards for satellite communications modems from one of its defense customers.