TECH BUYING FUELS STRONG GDP GROWTH

摘要

Merchant services inc. is earmarking nearly 30% more money for IT than it did a year ago, as the credit-card processing company buys servers, PCs, routers, and software to foster expansion. Guaranty Federal Savings Bank has spent more on IT in the last six months than it did in the past two years as it acquires technology to implement interbank check-processing rules aimed at eliminating exchanges of paper checks. Armstrong Relocation Co. increased computer spending by more than 10% as it upgraded its AS/400 server this summer, along with a slew of PCs as part of an IT-modernization program to remain competitive in its sector. The improving economy had little to do with their companies' decisions to increase IT spending, executives say. Still, economists credit hardware and software buying with helping fuel an explosion in the U.S. economy during the third quarter. Gross domestic product―the value of all goods and services produced―skyrocketed at a 7.2% annual growth rate in the period from July to September, the strongest pace in nearly 20 years, the Gpmmerce Department reported last week.