Driven by growth in software and IT services revenue, worldwide IT spending is forecast to reach $3.5 trillion in 2017, up 2.9% from 2016 estimated spending of $3.4 trillion, according to the latest forecast by Gartner.
 

The bright spot for the IT industry has been the software and IT services segments. Software spending is projected to grow 6% in 2016, and it will grow another 7.2% in 2017 to total $357 billion. IT services spending is on pace to grow 3.9% in 2016 to reach $597 billion and increase 4.8% in 2017 to reach $943 billion.

"Without the UK, global IT spending growth would have been modestly positive at 0.2 % in 2016, but with the UK included, IT spending is expected to decrease 0.3%. The immediate impact of the British pound will also cause the IT spending patterns to shift as prices for IT will increase.