When the dust cleared last year from the dot-com meltdown, many in the technology industry hoped for recovery by now. Later, with indicators still flagging, the talk was of a late 2002 rebound.
But here at the half-year mark, with earnings warnings from the likes of Intel Corp., Apple Computer Inc. and Oracle Corp., the tech sector might soon be adopting the attitude of baseball fans whose teams drop out of the pennant race: Wait 'til next year.
Investors certainly are pessimistic. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Stock Market index fell to its lowest level of the year Friday and is down 26 percent in 2002.
The reasons are clear. Many corporations are getting by without upgrading their existing technology, especially computers and other hardware.
The businesses that are making purchases have been getting bargain prices and demanding more proof that new technologies will save them time and money in the long run.
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