Dell sees IT market softening

The news was not good from Dell. The company this week warned that demand for its computers and servers is down, reflecting the soft market for technology equipment worldwide. "We saw a very weak August," Dell's chief financial officer, Brian T. Gladden, said this week at a Bank of America investors conference in San Francisco. Prior to this announcement, Dell said last month that weakness in spending in the United States had carried over to Europe and Asia.

The New York Times reported that only about 20 percent of Dell's revenue comes from consumers. Gladden said a big hit has come from a decline in purchases by small and medium-size businesses and the federal government. Dell also reported weaknesses in Britain and southern Europe, and problems selling in China.

For more on Dell's market analysis:
- check out the New York Times article